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Quackgrass - Plant Information

Elymus repens

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The quackgrass (Elymus repens) is generally described as a Perennial Graminoid. This Monocot (monocotyledon) is not native to the U.S. (United States) and has its most active growth period in the Spring and Summer . The Quackgrass has Green foliage and inconspicuous Yellow flowers, with inconspicuous Brown fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom is usually observed in the Mid Spring, with fruit and seed production starting in the Spring and continuing until Summer. Leaves are not retained year to year. The Quackgrass has a Moderate life span relative to most other plant species and a Rapid growth rate. At maturity, the typical Quackgrass will reach up to 2.6 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 2.6 feet.

The Quackgrass is not commonly available from nurseries, garden stores and other plant dealers and distributors. It can be propagated by Seed and Sprigs. It has a Moderate ability to spread through seed production and the seedlings have Medium vigor. Note that cold stratification is not required for seed germination and the plant cannot survive exposure to temperatures below -43°F. Quackgrass has Low tolerance to drought and restricted water conditions.

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Plant Name Synonyms

  • Agropyron repens
  • Agropyron repens var. subulatum
  • Elytrigia repens
  • Elytrigia repens var. vaillantiana
  • Elytrigia vaillantiana
  • Triticum repens
  • Triticum vaillantianum

USDA Plant Status

  • Sorry, this plant has no status information with the USDA

» USDA Status definitons

Plant Distribution

Quackgrass can be found in Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), District of Columbia (DC), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), North Dakota (ND), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI) and Wyoming (WY)

Taxonomy

Related Plants

Common Characteristics Data for Quackgrass
Plant Basics
Category Monocot
General Type Graminoid
Growth Rate Rapid
Growth Period Spring, Summer
Growth Duration Perennial
Lifespan Moderate
Plant Nativity Introduced to U.S.
Commercial Availability No Known Source
Physical Characteristics
Bloom Period Mid Spring
Displays Fall Colors No
Shape/Growth Form Rhizomatous(options)
Shape & Orientation Erect(options)
Drought Tolerance Low(options)
Shade Tolerance Intolerant(options)
Height When Mature 2.6 feet
Vegetative Spread Rate Rapid(options)
Flower Color Yellow
Flower Conspicuousness No
Fruit/Seed Color Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuousness No
Fruit/Seed Abundance Low
Fruit/Seed Seasonality Spring–Summer
Seed Spread Rate Moderate (options)
with seedling vigor
Gardening Characteristics
Propagations (Ways to Grow) Seed and Sprigs
Moisture Requirements Medium(options)
Cold Stratification Required No
Minimum Temperature -43°F
Soil Depth for Roots 14 inches minimum
Toxic to Nearby Plants Yes
Toxic to Livestock No
After-Harvest Regrowth Rate Moderate (options)
After-Harvest Resprout Ability No
Responds to Coppicing No
Growth Requirements
pH Range 5.2–7.8 pH
Precipitation Range 24–65 inches/yr
Planting Density 19,000–43,560 indiv./acre
Soil Textures Coarse, Fine and Medium
Minimum Frost-Free Days 90 days
Salinity Tolerance None (options)
Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) Ratio Medium (options)
CaCO3 Tolerance Low (options)
Sustainability & Use
Leaf Retention No
Palatablity
Fire Resistant No
Causes Livestock Bloating None (options)

Source:  USDA, NRCS, PLANTS Database, plants.usda.gov.
 National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA

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