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| ## Prairie junegrass {#prairie-junegrass .Title-Header}               |
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| *Koeleria* *macrantha*                                                |
|                                                                       |
| (Ledeb.) Schult.                                                      |
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| Plant Symbol = KOMA                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Idaho State Office

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.702777777777778in"
height="3.782638888888889in"}

©Larry Allain. [USGS NWRC](http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/)

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

*Koeleria cristata*; mountain junegrass, junegrass,

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

[Grazing/Livestock]{.underline} -- Prairie junegrass is a component of
many native plant communities. It commonly represents up to 5 percent of
the community. It greens up early in the spring and provides good early
spring forage and fair late spring forage for livestock.

[Wildlife]{.underline} -- Prairie junegrass is considered a fair to good
forage for elk throughout the year and is desirable forage for deer and
antelope in the spring and early summer.

[Reclamation]{.underline} -- Prairie junegrass is used as a component of
native seed mixtures in revegetation of mined lands, heavy use areas and
other surface disturbed lands.

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

Consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species).

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

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

[Genera]{.underline}l: Prairie junegrass is a native, perennial, cool
season tufted bunchgrass found on rangelands, plains and open
forestlands. It is commonly 0.5- 2 feet tall. The narrow leaves form
small basal clusters from which arise several seedheads. Leaves are
basal, flat to in-rolled and sharply pointed. The seedheads are narrow
contracted panicles and have the appearance of dense spikes, one per
stem. The spikelets are normally pale green to purplish in color. Fine
hairs are found on the reproductive stem just below the seedhead. The
glumes are sharp and shiny. This is one of the first grasses to green-up
in the early spring. Prairie junegrass is a perennial grass of medium
longevity found in a wide variety of native plant communities.

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="2.595138888888889in"
height="3.185416666666667in"}

Intermountain Flora - drawn by Jeanne R. Janish.

University of Washington Press.

This species is often mistaken for muttongrass (*Poa fendleriana)* and
spike trisetum (*Trisetum wolfii)*, but can be distinguished by the
hairy panicles and smaller spikelets.

[Distribution:]{.underline} The range of prairie junegrass extends from
Ontario to British Columbia, south to Delaware, California and Mexico.
For additional information on distribution, consult the Plant Profile
page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

**Adaptation**

Prairie junegrass is cold, heat and drought tolerant and grows on
rangeland meadows, plains, mountain foothills and open forestlands. It
does best at 12- 20 inches annual precipitation. It is most commonly
found at elevations from 4,000- 8,000 feet, but occurs up to 11,500 feet
in the central Rocky Mountains.

It is found primarily as a component of native plant communities in open
and rocky areas. It is best adapted to well-drained soils such as silts
to loams to sandy loams. It prefers 6.5- 8.0 pH soils. It has good
tolerance to fire.

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

Prairie junegrass is not recommended for fall or dormant fall seedings.
It does best when seeded in the spring. Young plants are subject to
thinning by frost heaving and soil cracking during winter and very early
spring.

The native accessions of this species have an average of 2,300,000 seeds
per pound. The full monoculture seeding rate for drill application is 1
PLS pound per acre. Use the appropriate percentage of this rate when
planting native seed mixtures. The seed should be planted into a clean,
weed-free, firm seedbed at soil surface to 1/8-inch depth because seed
requires light to achieve maximum germination.

The exclusion of grazing animals until plants become well established is
recommended. This may require up to 2- 3 growing seasons.

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

During the second to third growing season, seedheads will flower in
mid-April to mid-June. Seed reaches maturity in July through August
depending on latitude and elevation. Fall regrowth can occur if soil
moisture conditions are favorable.

Prairie junegrass greens up early in the spring. Grazing deferment until
plants are 4- 6 inches tall is recommended to ensure the health of the
plant and to reduce over-grazing. It is considered good forage in early
spring, but as it matures in later spring, it becomes tough and less
palatable. This grass has moderate to high tolerance to grazing.

Prairie junegrass tends to increase in percent cover following fire
events and is very resistant to fire.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Prairie junegrass may be vulnerable to some insects such as the striped
flea beetle which will cause the leaf tips to wilt.

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

Prairie junegrass is medium-lived native species, spreading primarily
via seed. It is not considered to be \"weedy\" or an invasive species,
but it can spread into adjoining vegetative communities under ideal
climatic and environmental conditions. It does not generally spread from
original stands, or if it does spread, the rate of spread is slow.

##### Seed Production {#seed-production .Header-3}

Seed production of prairie junegrass has been successful under
cultivated conditions. Row spacing of 24 inches under irrigation or high
precipitation (\> 16 inches annual precipitation) to 36 inches under
dryland conditions is recommended. Seeding rates for seed production
range from 0.75 pound PLS per acre on dryland to 1.0 pound PLS per acre
under irrigated conditions.

It should be seeded in locations where weeds are well controlled.
Prairie junegrass seedlings are not vigorous, are slow to establish and
are therefore vulnerable to mechanical (wheel and foot traffic) and
chemical damage. Wait until the 3- 5 leaf stage before applying
herbicides at a low rate (bromoxynil according to label) or clipping for
weed control. Cultivation between rows will be needed for weed control
and to maintain row culture.

Seed fields are productive for about 4- 5 years. Field moisture during
the fall, soil fertility, and plant re-growth determine the yield the
succeeding year.

Average production of 75 pounds per acre can be expected under dryland
conditions in 16- inch plus rainfall areas. Average production of 100-
150 pounds per acre can be expected under irrigated conditions.

Harvesting can be completed by direct combining in the hard-dough stage
or by windrowing followed by combining. Windrowing may help ensure a
more complete threshing and more uniform in ripening. Windrowing also
reduces the risk of loss of seed from wind. Seed is generally harvested
from early July to late August. Seed must be dried immediately after
combining (moisture content should be 12 percent in bins/15 percent in
sacks).

Not all native ecotypes readily produce viable seed. Many ecotypes
generally go through anthesis, but not all will produce viable seed at
an economically acceptable level.

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials .Header-3}

'Barkoel' prairie junegrass is the only release of this species. It
originates from Barenbrug, Holland, Oosterhout, The Netherlands. It is a
selection of clones after three years of testing under turf conditions.
The clones were chosen on basis of good winter color and good seed
yield. Barkoel is intended for use as a cool-season turfgrass and not
intended for native plantings. Seed is available through Barenbrug USA,
PO Box 239, Tangent, OR 97389, (503) 926-5801.

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

##### References {#references .Header-3}

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

Cornforth, B., L. St. John and D. G. Ogle. 2001. Technical Note 14:
*Seed production standards for conservation plants in the Intermountain
West.* USDA-NRCS, Boise, ID. 15p.

Cronquist, A., A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren and J.L. Reveal. 1977.
*Intermountain Flora: Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West*, U.S.A.
The New York Botanical Garden.

Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. *Manual of the grasses of the
United States*. USDA Misc. Publ. No. 200. Washington, DC. 1950.

Ogle, D. G., L. St. John, M. Stannard and L. Holzworth. 2006. Technical
Note 24: *Grass, grass-like, forb, legume, and woody species for the
intermountain west*. USDA-NRCS, Boise, ID. 42p.

Smith, R., S. Smith, R. Haas, and L. Holzworth. 1998. *Native Grass Seed
Production Manual,* USDA-NRCS, Bismarck, ND and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
155 p.

USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database, Version 061010.
[(http://plants.usda.gov)](http://plants.usda.gov/). [National Plant
Data Center](http://npdc.usda.gov/npdc/index.html), Baton Rouge, LA USA.

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

*Daniel G. Ogle*

USDA-NRCS, Idaho State Office, Boise, ID

*Loren St. John*

USDA-NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID

*Mark Majerus*

USDA-NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Bridger, MT

*Derek Tilley*

USDA-NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID

*Dr. Thomas A. Jones*

USDA-ARS, Forage & Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT

#####  {#section-1 .Header-3}

##### *Steve Parr* {#steve-parr .Header-3}

##### Upper CO Environmental Plant Center, Meeker, CO {#upper-co-environmental-plant-center-meeker-co .Header-3}

#####  {#section-2 .Header-3}

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

*Daniel G. Ogle*

USDA-NRCS, Idaho State Office, Boise, ID

##### Edited: 032608dgo; 05may06taj; 09may06djt; 11may06ls; 05june05mm, 06oct06sp; 10oct06jsp; 080325 do; 080326 jsp {#edited-032608dgo-05may06taj-09may06djt-11may06ls-05june05mm-06oct06sp-10oct06jsp-080325-do-080326-jsp .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/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
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
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*