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| **BLUEBUNCH WHEATGRASS**                                              |
|                                                                       |
| ***Pseudoroegneria spicata* (Pursh) A. Löve**                         |
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| plant symbol = PSSP6                                                  |
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## Contributed By: USDA NRCS Idaho State Office & Aberdeen Plant Materials Center; USDA ARS Forage & Range Laboratory

# Alternate Names![](media/image1.wmf){width="2.6333333333333333in" height="3.634027777777778in"}

*Agropyron spicatum, Elytrigia spicata*

**Uses**

*Grazing/rangeland/wildlife*: Bluebunch wheatgrass can be used for
native hay production and will make nutritious feed, but is better
suited to grazing use. Bluebunch wheatgrass is palatable to all classes
of livestock and wildlife. It is preferred forage for cattle and horses
year-round, but it is considered coarse in summer. It is preferred
forage for sheep, elk, deer, and antelope in spring. It is considered
desired forage for elk in summer. It is desirable forage for sheep in
summer, desirable feed for sheep, elk, deer,

and antelope in fall and desirable forage for sheep, elk, and deer in
winter. In spring, the protein levels can be as high as 20 percent
decreasing to about 4 percent protein as the forage matures and cures.
Digestible carbohydrates remain about 45 percent throughout the active
growth period.

*Erosion control/reclamation*: Bluebunch wheatgrass is very drought
resistant, persistent and adapted to stabilization of disturbed soils.
It is very compatible with slower developing native species, such as
thickspike wheatgrass (*Elymus lanceolatus*), western wheatgrass
(*Pascopyrum smithii*), and needlegrass species (*Achnatherum* spp.,
*Nassella* spp., and *Hesperostipa* spp.). It does not compete well with
aggressive introduced grasses. Its drought tolerance, combined with
extensive root systems and good seedling vigor, make this species ideal
for reclamation in areas receiving 10 to 20 inches annual precipitation.
\'Secar\' competes well in areas as low as 8 inches annual rainfall.
This grass can be used in urban areas where irrigation water is limited
and to stabilize ditchbanks, dikes, and roadsides as a component of a
mix.

# Status

Consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status, such as state noxious status
and wetland indicator values.

# Description

*General*: Grass Family (Poaceae). Bluebunch wheatgrass is a perennial
native bunchgrass. Bluebunch wheatgrass is highly variable and grows to
1.5 to 4 feet tall with seed spikes 3 to 8 inches long. The auricles are
pointed and semi-clasping to nearly lacking. Leaves are lax, cauline,
flat to in-rolled, 4-6 mm wide, and green to blue in color. The sheath
is generally glabrous. Reproductive stems are erect, slender, and
sometimes wiry with a wavy rachis. The lemma awns range from being short
to prominent and divergent except on the beardless type where the awn is
lacking.

# Distribution

Bluebunch wheatgrass is common to the northern Great Plains and the
Intermountain regions of the western United States. It is a long-lived
cool-season native grass with an extensive root system with strong
tillers. Bluebunch wheatgrass spreads by seed; except in high rainfall
zones where some short rhizomes may occur. For current distribution,
consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

# Adaptation 

Bluebunch wheatgrass does best on medium to coarse-textured soils and
can be found on heavy to medium to coarse-textured soils over 10 inches
deep including fairly sandy sites. It can be seeded on clayey sites. It
can be found on thin, rocky sites and on very steep slopes. It will
tolerate weakly saline conditions. It does not grow on very acidic
sites. It is cold tolerant, moderately shade tolerant, and highly fire
tolerant. It is intolerant of high water tables, poor drainage, and
periods of extended inundation.

On native sites, bluebunch wheatgrass is most abundant in the 8 to 20
inch annual precipitation zones. Seeded varieties do best with 12 to 20
inches of precipitation (exception \'Secar\' 8 to 18 inches and
\'Anatone\' 10 to 20 inches - estimated) and will tolerate up to 35
inches on very well drained soils with southerly aspects. The elevation
range is from 500 to 10,000 feet above sea level. It is a major
component of many native plant communities and generally occupies 20 to
60 percent of the overall composition by weight.

Species often associated with bluebunch wheatgrass include the
following: the big sagebrush complex, juniper, ponderosa pine,
needlegrasses, bluegrass complex, bottlebrush squirreltail, prairie
junegrass, thickspike wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, arrowleaf balsamroot,
and tapertip hawksbeard.

# Establishment

*Planting*: This species should be seeded with a drill at a depth of 1/2
inch or less on medium-textured soils, 1/4 inch on fine-textured soils
and 3/4 inch or less on coarse-textured soils. Single-species seeding
rate recommended for this grass is 7 pounds Pure Live Seed (PLS) per
acre or 21 PLS per square foot. If used as a component of a mix, adjust
to percent of mix desired. For mine lands and other harsh critical
areas, the seeding rate should be doubled to 42 PLS seeds per square
foot. Seedlings are weaker than most introduced wheatgrasses and a
clean, firm, weed-free seedbed is required for establishment (cheatgrass
and other annual weed competition can cause stand failure).

The best seeding results are obtained from seeding in very early spring
on heavy to medium-textured soils and in late fall on medium to
light-textured soils. Late summer (August - mid September) seeding is
not recommended unless irrigation is available. Dormant fall seedings
will pre-chill seed and reduce seed dormancy.

Bluebunch wheatgrass establishes fairly quickly for a native grass and
stands should be given 2-3 years to ensure establishment. It is
compatible with other native species and should be used in seeding
mixtures. It should not be seeded with strongly competitive introduced
species.

Bluebunch wheatgrass makes good spring growth, fair summer growth, and
good fall regrowth if moisture is available. Seedling vigor is fair to
good, but less than crested wheatgrass.

Stands may require weed control measures during establishment.
Application of 2,4-D should not be made until plants have reached the
four to six-leaf stage. Mow weeds at or prior to their bloom stage.
Grasshoppers and other insects may also damage new stands and pesticides
may be needed.

# Management

Bluebunch wheatgrass has good palatability to livestock and wildlife.
Established stands cannot withstand heavy continuous grazing.

Stands of bluebunch wheatgrass should not be grazed until they have
firmly established (usually two growing seasons) and have headed out.
Six inches of new growth should be attained in spring before grazing is
allowed in established stands. The growing point of bluebunch wheatgrass
is fairly high and thus stands can easily be overgrazed. It is
recommended that this grass be grazed under a deferred, rotational
grazing system to ensure plants remain healthy. Spring grazing should
occur no more than one out of three years and no more than 40 percent
utilization should occur during rapid growth. Heavy early spring grazing
is especially damaging and grazing should be delayed until at least
mid-boot stage. No more than 60 percent utilization should occur after
seed ripens.

Once established, bluebunch wheatgrass is competitive with weedy
species, but it can be crowded out by aggressive introduced species.

*Environmental Concerns*: Bluebunch wheatgrass is long-lived and spreads
primarily via seed distribution, but it can slowly spread vegetatively
in precipitation zones above 18 inches annual rainfall. It is not
considered a \"weedy\" or invasive species, but can spread into
adjoining vegetative communities under ideal climatic and environmental
conditions. Most seedings do not spread from original plantings. It is a
cross-pollinating species and is known to cross with other ecotypes of
bluebunch wheatgrass, quackgrass, thickspike wheatgrass and bottlebrush
squirreltail. These natural crosses broaden the gene pool, do not
generally dominate a site or crowd out the native ecotypes, and in many
cases are sterile.

# Seed Production

Seed production of bluebunch wheatgrass has been very successful under
cultivated conditions. Row spacing of 24 to 36 inches are recommended
under irrigation and 36 inches under dryland conditions. Seeding rates
of 3 to 4 PLS per acre are recommended. Cultivation will be needed to
maintain rows and weed-free conditions.

Seed fields are productive for three to four years. Average production
of 75 to 100 pounds per acre can be expected under dryland conditions.
Average production of 150 to 250 pounds per acre can be expected under
irrigated conditions. Harvesting is best completed by swathing, followed
by combining of the cured rows. The seed heads readily shatter and
require close scrutiny of maturing stands. If direct combined, harvest
at 30 percent moisture and dry seed down to 12 percent moisture (if
stored in bins) or 15 percent moisture (if stored in sacks). Debearding
may be required during processing. Seed is generally harvested from
mid-July to mid- August.

# Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Foundation and registered seed is available through the appropriate
state Crop Improvement Association or commercial sources to grow
certified seed.

**'Anatone'** bluebunch wheatgrass (*P. spicata spp. spicata*) was
selected from seed originating near Anatone, Washington by the Forest
Service Shrub Sciences Laboratory. It was released by the Forest Service
Shrub Science Laboratory, BLM, Aberdeen Plant Materials Center,
Idaho-Utah AES, ARS and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in 2003.
Its full range of adaptation is not fully understood at this time, but
it is expected to have rapid establishment, high forage production, and
the ability to survive and thrive under dry conditions at or above 10
inches rainfall. It is intended for use on valley and foothill
rangelands for re-establishment of native plant communities, vegetative
firebreaks, and critical area stabilization and reclamation purposes.
Certified seed will be available in 2004 and Breeder and Foundation seed
is maintained by Aberdeen PMC.

**\'Goldar\'** bluebunch wheatgrass (*P. spicata spp. spicata*) was
selected from seed collected on Mallery Ridge of the Umatilla National
Forest in Asotin County, Washington by the Aberdeen Plant Materials
Center. It was released by Idaho-Utah AES, ARS and the PMC in 1989.
\'Goldar\' is noted for rapid establishment, high forage production, and
the ability to survive and thrive under dry conditions at or above 12
inches rainfall. It is intended for use on foothill and mountain
rangelands for re-establishment of native plant communities, vegetative
firebreaks, and critical area stabilization and reclamation purposes.
Certified seed is available and Breeder and Foundation seed is
maintained by Aberdeen PMC.

**P-7 Selected Germplasm** bluebunch wheatgrass (*P. spicata spp.
spicata*) was generated by open- pollinating 25 native populations of
bluebunch wheatgrass from Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and
British Columbia resulting in high genetic diversity. ARS and the Utah
Agricultural Experiment Station released P-7 in 2001. Its full range of
adaptation is not fully understood, but it is expected to survive and
thrive under dry conditions at or above 12 inches rainfall and perhaps
down to 10 inches rainfall. It is intended for use on valley, foothill
and mountain rangelands for re-establishment of native plant
communities, vegetative firebreaks, and critical area stabilization and
reclamation purposes. Certified seed is available and Breeder seed is
maintained by USDA-ARS, Logan, Utah. Certified seed production is
allowed through Generation 4.

**\'Secar\'** is a cultivar of Snake River wheatgrass (*Elymus
wawawaiensis*) originally mistakenly identified as bluebunch wheatgrass
prior to the original description of Snake River wheatgrass. The
original collection site is along the Snake River Gorge near Lewiston,
Idaho. The Idaho-Oregon-Montana-Wyoming AES, Washington Agriculture
Research Center, and Pullman Plant Materials Center released 'Secar' in
1980. It is one of the most drought-tolerant native perennial grasses
presently available and can survive down to 8 inches rainfall. It is a
bunchgrass with fair to good seedling vigor and establishes well under
droughty conditions. \'Secar\' is intended for use on rangeland for
re-establishment of native-plant communities. Certified seed is
available and Breeder seed is maintained by Pullman PMC.

**\'Whitmar\'** beardless wheatgrass (*P. spicata spp. inermis*) is the
awnless form of bluebunch wheatgrass and was selected by Pullman PMC
from seed native to the Palouse grasslands near Colton, Washington.
Idaho-Oregon-Washington AES and Aberdeen-Corvallis-Pullman PMCs released
'Whitmar' in 1946. It performs best above 12 inches rainfall in high
winter-low summer precipitation areas. \'Whitmar\' was selected for
forage quality, seedling vigor, and good seed production and is intended
for use on rangeland for re-establishment of native plant communities
and for reclamation. Certified seed is available and Breeder seed is
maintained by Pullman PMC.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.8916666666666666in"
height="3.563888888888889in"}

# References

Alderson, J. & W.C. Sharp 1994. *Grass varieties in the United States*.
Agriculture Handbook No. 170. USDA, SCS, Washington, D.C.

Carlson, J.R. & M.E. Barkworth 1997. *Elymus wawawaiensis: a species
hitherto confused with Pseudoroegneria spicata (Triticeae, Poaceae)*.
Phytologia 83:312-330.

Cronquist, A., A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, J.L. Reveal, & P. K.
Holmgren 1977. *Intermountain flora*. Vol. 6. The New York Botanical
Garden. Columbia University Press, New York, New York.

Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. *Manual of the grasses of the United States*.
USDA, Washington, DC.

Miller, R.P., J.M. Seufert, and M.R. Haferkamp. 1987. The ecology and
management of bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum): A review.
Oregon Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. No. 669.

Powell, A.M. 1994. *Grasses of the Trans-Pecos and adjacent areas*.
University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.

USDA, Forest Service 1996. *Fire effects information system*. Version:
000413. \<http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/\>. Rocky Mountain Research
Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, Montana.

USDA, NRCS 2003. *The PLANTS database*. Version: 030213.
\<http://plants.usda.gov\>. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana.

# Prepared By

*Daniel G. Ogle*

USDA NRCS Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho

*Loren St. John*

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho

*Dr. Thomas A. Jones*

USDA ARS Forage and Range Laboratory, Logan, Utah

# Species Coordinator

*Daniel G. Ogle*

USDA NRCS Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho

Edited 05dec00 jsp; 15aug02 lsj; 30spet02 taj; 30sept02 dgo; 13feb03jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> and Plant
Materials Program Web sites
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>.

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