Barley, Pearl Barley, Six Rowed Barley
Hordeum vulgare

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

An erect annual grass. It grows 80-120 cm tall. The nodes are solid and the internodes are hollow. The leaves are narrow. There are 5-10 leaves. They are produced alternately on opposite sides of the stem at the nodes. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped and 5-40 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The flowers are greenish. Flowers have long awns. The fruit is a grain. It is oval and narrow. There are a range of named cultivated varieties.

There are about 20 Hordeum species. It is gluten free.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It requires full sun and well-drained soil. It can tolerate salty conditions. In Nepal it grows to 3500 m altitude. It grows in the mountains in Java. In Ethiopia it grows between 1,800-4,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Andes, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Canary Islands, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central Asia, Chile, China, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Europe, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kurdistan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Serbia, Sikkim, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The grains are eaten. They are mixed with wheat for chappatis. They are also used in soups. They are also used for bread and breakfast cereals. They have a low gluten content. The seed are also soaked until they sprout and produces malt. This is used for alcohol production. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The sprouted seeds are eaten in salads. Barley water is made by soaking the barley in water and flavouring with lemon. The young seedlings are dried and powdered and marketed as barleygreen. Roasted seeds are added to coffee.

It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal, seeds - tea

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seed can be planted 2-6 cm deep. Often 200-250 plants are grown per square metre.

It has a relatively short growing season and matures quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Barleycorn, Barlibiyam, Barliyarisi, Bori, Byit-gyon, Cebada, Cabada forrajera, Elbe, Gerste, Gota, Gyon-saba, Jaab, Jab, Jaon, Jau, Jav, Java godhi, Java, Jmvah, Jowakhar, Ma-yaw, Mai ya, Naked barley, Nas, Navadni ječmen, Orge, Orzo, Oua, Taangbuang, Tangbuang, Trigo, Yava, Yavaka

Synonyms

Hordeum sativum Pers.; Hordeum aegiceras Nees ex Royle; Hordeum agriocrithon A. E. Aberg; Hordeum agriocrithon var. dawoense A. E. Aberg; Hordeum coeleste var. trifurcatum Schltdl.; Hordeum deficiens Steud. ex A. Braun; Hordeum deficiens var. nudideficians (Korn.) Harlan; Hordeum deficiens var. steudelii (Korn.) Harlan; Hordeum deficiens var. tridax (Korn.) Harlan; Hordeum distichon L.; Hordeum distichon var. abyssinicum Ser.; Hordeum distichon var. erectum Schubl.; Hordeum distichon var. ianthinum Korn.; Hordeum distichon var. nigricans Ser.; Hordeum distichon var. nudideficiens Korn.; Hordeum distichon var. nudum L.; Hordeum distichon var. nutans Schubl.; Hordeum distichon var. palmella Harlan; Hordeum distichon var. persicum Korn.; Hordeum distichon var. tridax Korn.; Hordeum hexastichon L.; Hordeum irregulare A. E. Aberg & Wiebe; Hordeum polystichon Haller f.; Hordeum polystichum var. trifurcatum (Schltdl.) Asch. & Graebn.; Hordeum pyramidatum R. E. Regel; Hordeum sativum Jess.; Hordeum tetrastichum Stokes; Hordeum tetrastichum var. aethiops ined.?; Hordeum vulgare cv. trifurcatum (Schltdl.) Alef.; Hordeum vulgare subsp. deficiens (Steud. ex A. Braun) A. Love; Hordeum vulgare subsp. interjectum Flaksb.; Hordeum vulgare subsp. intermedium Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. aethiops Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. afghanicum Vavilov ex N. A. Ivanova; Hordeum vulgare var. coeleste L.; Hordeum vulgare var. coerulescens Ser.; Hordeum vulgare var. cornutum Schrad.; Hordeum vulgare var. deficiens (Steud. ex A. Braun) Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. duplinigrum Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. himalayense (Schult.) Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. horsfordianum Wittm. ex Harlan; Hordeum vulgare var. leiorrhynchum Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. nigricans (Ser.) Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. nigrum (Willd.) Peterm.; Hordeum vulgare var. nudum Spenn.; Hordeum vulgare var. pallidum Ser.; Hordeum vulgare var. rikotense R. E. Regel; Hordeum vulgare var. steudelii Korn.; Hordeum vulgare var. tetrastichon Celak.; Hordeum vulgare var. violaceum Korn.; Hordeum ?intermedium (Korn.) Carleton; Hordeum ?intermedium var. cornutum (Schrad.) Harlan; Hordeum ?intermedium var. haxtonii Korn.; Hordeum ?intermedium var. mortonii Korn.; Hordeum ?intermedium var. nudihaxtonii Korn.; Hordeum zeocrithon L.