Tall wheatgrass is a temperate perennial grass. It is summer active and with sufficient moisture it will grow well in spring, summer and autumn. Winter growth is poor. Site selection Annual rainfall should be over 350 mm for tall wheatgrass to persist. Summer rain and subsoil moisture over summer will improve productivity.
Tall wheatgrass is adapted to poorly drained, moderately saline soils.
It will grow on acid sands over clay or loam and clays with high water holding capacity. It will tolerate alkaline soils. It is particularly suited to saline sites where there is still a cover of barley grass. It is not suited to bare salt scalds where other options such as puccinellia should be used. Tall wheatgrass has demonstrated excellent drought tolerance in the Esperance region.