Translate this page:

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Bromus tectorum is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses: Coffee

Seed - cooked[257]. A famine food, the small seed can be cooked into a gruel in times of food shortage[257]. A coffee is made from the roasted seed[177].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Miscellany

A paste made from the seeds is applied as a poultice to the chest to relieve chest pains[272].

References More on Medicinal Uses

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Other Uses

Bedding Miscellany

The leaves have been used as a bedding[257]. B. tectorum is the most abundant forage species on many intermountain area rangelands of the USA [1d].

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in ordinary well-drained garden soil in a sunny position[138, 200].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Celsius Fahrenheit:

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ and only just cover. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

bronco grass; cheat grass; cheatgrass; drooping brome grass; nodding brome grass; six weeks grass. Spanish: bromo velloso; espiguilla colgante. French: brome des toits. Canada: nodding brome. Germany: Dach- Trespe Italy: forasacco dei tetti. Japan: umanochahiki. Netherlands: muurdravik; zwenkdravik. Sweden: taklosta.

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Native to Europe, southwestern Asia and northern Africa, but has become invasive in many other areas.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

Bromus tectorum is one of the few invasive annual exotic species that is a major weed of rangelands and agronomic fields in North America. As an exotic weed it has been introduced to southern Russia, west central Asia, North America, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, and Greenland.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Bromus breviaristatus	Mountain Brome	Perennial	0.8	-	LMH	SN	DM	1	0
Bromus carinatus	Californian Brome	Annual/Biennial	0.8	4-8	LMH	SN	DM	1	0	1
Bromus inermis	Smooth Brome, Pumpelly's brome	Perennial	1.2	3-7	LMH	SN	DM	0	0	2
Bromus japonicus	Japanese Chess, Field brome	Annual/Biennial	0.8	7-10	LMH	SN	DM	1	0
Bromus mango	Mango, Mango brome	Biennial	1.0	0-0	LMH	SN	M	2	0
Bromus marginatus	Mountain Brome	Perennial	1.0	-	LMH	SN	DM	1	0	1
Bromus ramosus	Hairy Brome	Perennial	1.5	4-8	LMH	SN	DM	0	1
Bromus rigidus	Ripgut Brome	Annual	1.0	6-9	LMH	N	DM	1	0
Bromus thominii	Soft Brome	Biennial	0.8	3-7	LMH	SN	DM	1	0

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Bromus tectorum - L.