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Foxtail barley

Hordeum jubatum

Also called Foxtail, Squirreltail Barley, Squirreltail Grass, Wild Barley, Squirreltail, Squirrel Tail Barley

Foxtail barley
Photo: André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5

Foxtail barley is a tufted perennial grass, native to northern North America and northeastern Siberia, grown for its feathery, bristly seed heads. It spreads readily and is often treated as a weed outside its native range.

Family
Poaceae (Grass family)
Grows as
Grass, Perennial
Light
Full sun
Water
Water moderately while establishing, then mostly rely on rain; it tolerates dry spells well.
Soil
Tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor, dry or saline ground; well-drained soil is best.
Temperature
Hardy in cold winters; suited to temperate climates. Exact limits not given in sources.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic
Native range
Siberia to Caucasus and N. China, Subarctic America to W. & C. U.S.A. and N. Mex
Climate
temperate

About

Hordeum jubatum, with common names foxtail barley, bobtail barley, squirreltail barley, and intermediate barley, is a perennial plant species in the grass family Poaceae. It occurs wild mainly in northern North America and adjacent northeastern Siberia. However, as it escaped often from gardens it can be found worldwide in areas with temperate to warm climates, and is considered a weed in many countries. The species is a polyploid and originated via hybridization of an East Asian Hordeum species with a close but extinct relative of Californian H. brachyantherum. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive inflorescences and when done flowering for its inflorescence.

Other Hordeum plants

Bulbous barley · Hordeum comosum · Two Rowed Barley · Little barley · Spontaneous barley · Barley · Barley

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hordeum jubatum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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