Cheat Grass, Downy Brome
Bromus tectorum
Family: Poaceae or Gramineae
What it is like
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.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Roadsides and waste places, also in thatched roofs in Eastern N. America.
S. Europe - Mediterranean. Naturalized in N. America.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Countries/locations it is found in
Native to Europe, southwestern Asia and northern Africa, but has become invasive in many other areas.
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Seed - cooked. A famine food, the small seed can be cooked into a gruel in times of food shortage. A coffee is made from the roasted seed.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Medicine
Rating: 1
A paste made from the seeds is applied as a poultice to the chest to relieve chest pains.
Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.
Other
Rating: 1
The leaves have been used as a bedding. B. tectorum is the most abundant forage species on many intermountain area rangelands of the USA.
Bedding: Used as a lining for sleeping on or putting fruits etc on.
Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.
How it is grown
Succeeds in ordinary well-drained garden soil in a sunny position.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ and only just cover. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
The awns of the plant can cause mechanical injury to grazing animals.
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.
Its other names
Local names
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.