Life Cycle Emergence and Development Foxtail barley emerges from seeds and vegetative buds. The buds are located in the crown slightly below the soil surface. Shoots appear from the crown early in spring. Typically, the number of stems increase each year, enlarging the crown. Tillering also is common, increasing the potential number of seed heads.
Seeds generally germinate in the fall, though some spring germination occurs.
Seeds on the soil surface or only slightly buried will have the highest germination rate. Seed survival is greatest on the soil surface. Seeds on the surface remain viable for approximately one year. Only a few buried seeds survive beyond the initial year, but some remain viable for seven or more years. The potential seed production for a single plant is greater than 200 seeds.