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| ## COLUMBIA BROME                                                     |
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| ***Bromus vulgaris* (Hook.) Shear**                                   |
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| Plant Symbol = BRVU                                                   |
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*Contributed by: USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, Oregon*

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="2.98125in" height="4.596527777777778in"}

Dale Darris

USDA NRCS Corvallis PMC

**Alternate names:** Narrow-flowered brome is another common name.

**Uses:** Columbia brome is a native upland grass useful for erosion
control and revegetation along shady streambanks, ravines, and
roadsides. The species is also important for the restoration of moist to
relatively dry understory woodland plant communities. The fibrous root
system aids in soil retention especially on steeper, rocky, north facing
slopes. Ranked high as palatable livestock forage, Columbia brome is
valuable for grazing at mid to higher elevations in certain western
ranges. It's affinity for shade lends application to silvopastural
systems (combined tree and forage production). Elk utilize it in spring
and other ungulates presumably graze it as well. The seed and plants
serve as food and cover for small mammals and birds.

# Description: Columbia brome is a cool season perennial bunchgrass that is short to medium lived depending on growing conditions. The base is loosely clumped and non-rhizomatous although rooting may (rarely) occur from lower nodes along the stems (culms). The culms are 45-120 cm tall and erect to spreading, often with hairy nodes (joints). Inflorescences (seedheads or panicles) are 8-22 cm long, spreading to drooping, typically with the slender, compressed spikelets (subunits of the seedhead) all hanging in the same direction. Leaves are course textured (5-12 mm wide), often hairy on at least one side, basal to part way up the stems, lax, and flat. 

*Key to identification*: Despite the typical hairy nodes and uniform
orientation of the drooping seedheads, Columbia brome is difficult to
distinguish from three other native bromes that occur in the western US,
often in similar habitats: fringed brome (*Bromus ciliatus*), Orcutt's
brome (*Bromus orcuttianus)*, and woodland or Chinook brome (*Bromus
laevipes*). Refer to a botanical key for detailed descriptions of traits
and proper identification. It should not be confused with false brome
(*Brachypodium sylvaticum*), a weedy and invasive introduced grass that
also grows in woodland situations. The spikelets of both species
noticeably droop, but on Columbia brome they are clearly stalked (i.e.
on short branchlets) and on false brome they are not.

**Adaptation:** Columbia brome is widely distributed in the western US
and Canada from sea level to an elevation of 6500 ft. In the US it
occurs from Washington south to California and west to Montana, Wyoming,
and Utah. It strongly prefers shaded habitats including woodland edges
and the floor of hardwood and coniferous forest types. Survival in open
areas appears more limited to ravines, north facing slopes, seepage
areas, and montane meadows.

Soil adaptation varies from volcanic ash to deep, moderately well and
well drained sandy loams, loams, silts, and clays that are moderately
acid to slightly alkaline (pH 5.4 to 7.9) with generally rich nutrient
regimes. The species is found in disturbed environments such as along
streams and in clearcuts, as well as in mature undisturbed forests. In
natural settings, response to fire varies with litter dryness and
intensity of burn, but is generally considered neutral in terms of
regeneration. Prolonged smoldering can destroy plants. Tolerances to
saline, flooded or saturated soil conditions are low.

**Commercial availability:** A few seed sources from Oregon and
California are periodically for sale.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="1.83125in" height="4.517361111111111in"}

##### University of Washington Press, line drawing reprinted with permission

**Relative abundance in the wild:** Columbia brome is very common in
both disturbed and undisturbed forest environments. Seed is relatively
easy to hand collect but shatters (separates from the seedhead) readily
at maturity.

**Limitations or environmental concerns:** This species can be initially
slow to germinate and sometimes difficult to establish, especially on
open, dry, sunny sites where it is maladapted. It is often difficult to
grow for seed on open farmland where plants may appear stressed and die
after one growing season. There are no known environmental concerns.

**Establishment:** Seed dormancy has not been reported for Columbia
brome, but germination can be staggered or delayed for several weeks,
especially if spring sown. Fall seeding in cool soils is recommended. No
special physical conditioning of the seed is required for use in a drill
or broadcast seeder, but removal of the awn (linear appendage) and
minute hair from the seed improves seed flow in some equipment.

Establishment rate from seed is moderately fast after germination. There
are approximately 95,000 (+/- 20%) seeds per pound with seed hulls
intact and 108,000 seeds per pound with hulls removed (naked seed).
Therefore, each 1 pound of live seed sown per acre is equivalent to
approximately 2 to 2.5 live seeds per square foot. Sown alone, a
suggested minimum seeding rate is 15-20 lbs of pure live seed (PLS) per
acre for general revegetation.

When grown for seed, fields should be situated on the north side of tall
windbreaks or in other wooded settings to receive partial shade. Good
soil fertility and drainage are needed. Burning for post harvest residue
management is not recommended at this time. Hulls often separate from
the seed and seed may be damaged during mechanical harvest with a
combine. Stands are typically variable and frequently short lived.
Management requirements for livestock utilization are not well reported
but may approach those of other native bromes provided there is partial
shade.

##### Prepared By:  {#prepared-by .Header-3}

*Dale Darris*, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

##### Species Coordinator:  {#species-coordinator .Header-3}

*Dale Darris*, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Edited: 080917 jsp

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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