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| ## siberian wheatgrass {#siberian-wheatgrass .Title-Header}           |
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| *Agropyron fragile* (Roth) P. Candargy                                |
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| Plant Symbol = AGFR                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Idaho State Office

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.2916666666666665in" height="3.4375in"}

Loren St. John

USDA NRCS Idaho PMC

#####  {#section .Header-3}

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

*Agropyron cristatum* (L.) Gaertn. ssp. *fragile* (Roth) A. Löve

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Grazing/rangeland/hayland*: Crested wheatgrass is commonly recommended
for forage production. It is palatable to livestock and wildlife and is
a desirable feed in spring, and in the fall if it re-grows enough. It is
used for cattle and horse winter forage, but protein supplements are
required to ensure good animal health. It withstands heavy grazing
pressure (65% use and greater) once stands are established. The best
forage types in order are Siberian, desertorum, and Hycrest.

*Erosion control/reclamation*: Crested wheatgrasses are useful for soil
stabilization. They compete well with other aggressive introduced
grasses, but because of this trait, they are not compatible in mixes
with native species. Their drought tolerance, fibrous root systems, and
good seedling vigor make these species ideal for reclamation in areas
with 8 to 20 inches annual precipitation. These grasses can be used in
urban areas where irrigation water is limited to provide ground cover
and to stabilize ditchbanks, dikes, pipelines, powerlines and roadsides.

*Wildlife*: Birds and small rodents eat crested wheatgrass seeds; deer,
antelope and elk graze it, especially in spring and fall. Upland and
song birds utilize stands for nesting.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

Crested wheatgrasses *Agropyron cristatum*, *Agropyron desertorum*, and
Siberian wheatgrass *Agropyron fragile* are perennial grasses commonly
seeded in the western United States. They are long-lived, cool season,
drought tolerant, introduced grasses with extensive root systems.
Crested wheatgrass grows from 1 to 3 feet tall and seed spikes may be
1.5 to 3 inches long. Spiklets flattened, closely overlapping, located
divergent (flatwise) at a slight angle on the rachis flower stem. The
lemmas generally narrow to a short awn and glumes are firm, keeled,
tapering into a short bristle. Culms are erect, in a dense tuft and
leafy. Leaves are flat, smooth below, slightly coarse above and vary in
width from 2 to 6 mm.

##### Adaptation and Distribution {#adaptation-and-distribution .Header-3}

Crested wheatgrasses are adapted for non-irrigated seedings where annual
precipitation averages 8 inches or more and where the frost free period
is generally less than 140 days. On droughtier sites with 8 inches or
less annual precipitation, Siberian wheatgrass may be the best choice;
it is known to surpass the desertorum and Hycrest types in rate of
establishment, stand persistance, and total forage yield on the more
arid sites. Siberian wheatgrass has been seeded in areas with as little
as 5 inches of precipitation with some success. Crested wheatgrass
should generally be seeded below 7,000 feet elevation. Crested
wheatgrass does well on shallow to deep, moderately course to fine
textured, moderately well to well drained and weakly acidic to
moderately alkaline soils. Under saline conditions, vigor and production
are reduced. Siberian types are well adapted to light, droughty soils.

All crested wheatgrasses are cold tolerant, can withstand moderate
periodic flooding in the spring, and are very tolerant of fire. They
will not tolerate long periods of inundation, poorly drained soils or
excessive irrigation.

Crested wheatgrass is distributed in the Midwestern United States. For a
current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Website.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Crested wheatgrass should be seeded with a drill at a depth of 1/2 inch
or less on medium to fine textured soils and 1 inch or less on coarse
textured soils. Single species seeding rates recommended for Siberian
wheatgrasse is 6 pounds Pure Live Seed (PLS) or 24 PLS per square foot.
If used as a component of a mix, adjust to percent of mix desired. For
mined lands and other harsh critical areas, the seeding rate should be
increased to 40 to 50 PLS per square foot. Mulching and light
irrigations on highly disturbed areas are beneficial for stand
establishment.

The best seeding results are obtained 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) seedings are not recommended
unless irrigation is available. Crested and Siberian wheatgrasses
establish fairly quickly, with 'Hycrest' and 'Vavilov' noted for the
best seedling vigor. They should not be seeded with native species.
Under favorable conditions they can become a good weed barrier.

Stands may require weed control measures during establishment, but
application of 2,4-D should not be made until plants have reached the
four to six leaf stage. Mow when weeds are beginning to bloom to reduce
weed seed development. New stands may also be damaged by grasshoppers
and other insects; pesticides may be required.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Crested wheatgrasses produce leaves in the spring about 10 days after
bluegrass species and about 2 to 3 weeks earlier than native
wheatgrasses. New stands of crested wheatgrass should not be grazed
until they are firmly established and have started to produce seed
heads. Six inches of new growth should be attained in spring before
grazing is allowed in established stands. Three inches of stubble should
remain at the end of the grazing season to maintain the long term health
of the plant.

Crested wheatgrasses are low maintenance plants; however, spring/fall
deferment or grazing rotations are recommended to maintain plant health
and to maximize forage production potential. Crested wheatgrass can be
used for hay production and will make nutritious feed, but is more
suited to pasture use. Light, infrequent applications of nitrogen (25
pounds/acre) and irrigation will increase total biomass production and
lengthen the green period.

##### Environmental Concerns {#environmental-concerns .Header-3}

Crested wheatgrasses are long-lived, spread primarily via seed, but may
also spread via rhizomes in the case of the cristatum types. They are
not considered \"weedy\" or invasive species. Most seedings do not
spread beyond original plantings, or if they do spread, the rate of
spread is not alarming. They will cross with each other, but do not
cross with native species. Crested wheatgrasses resist winter annual
competition better than native species because they germinate earlier
and grows more rapidly at colder temperatures. Due to commonly being
planted in monocultures (single species) stands in the past, some feel
crested wheatgrasses are not ecologically appropriate. It is important
to consider multiple species mixes to avoid this conception.

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

'P27' (Kazakhstan) is awnless, has finer leaves, and retains greenness
and palatability later into the summer than other crested wheatgrasses.
It yields less and has poorer seedling vigor than other crested
wheatgrasses. 'Vavilov' (former USSR, Turkey) has better seedling vigor
than 'P-27' and will not cross with other crested wheatgrasses. It is
expected that 'Vavilov' will eventually replace 'P-27' on the commercial
seed market.

##### Prepared By & Species Coordinator:  {#prepared-by-species-coordinator .Header-3}

*Dan Ogle*, Plant Materials Specialist

USDA NRCS Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho

##### 

##### Edited: 31Jan2002 JLK; 24may06jsp {#edited-31jan2002-jlk-24may06jsp .Header-4}

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

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large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
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*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
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