Seed is disseminated by transport on animal hides.
The seed, stored in seed banks, remains viable for 3 to 6 years, with a germination capacity of 80 to 90 percent. Slender wheatgrass requires a moderately moist bare mineral or lightly mulched seedbed. It is a good competitor on disturbed sites for the first 2 to 3 years. Considerable variation, however, has been noted among northern ecotypes in both seed production and vegetative reproduction. Widely distributed, slender wheatgrass has numerous ecotypes that occur in widely differing climates.