Rescue Grass
Bromus catharticus · Cool-season, Annual or Short-lived Perennial, C3
Grass Family
Poaceae, Pooideae, Tribe Bromeae
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass, Forage Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common/Wild type (cultivars like 'Matua' exist for forage)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 6-10; thrives in winter and spring, going dormant or dying off in high summer heat.
About This Grass
A coarse, tufted grass that often appears in winter and early spring. It has a light green color and is easily identified by its large, flattened, drooping seed heads (spikelets) that are distinctly multi-flowered and V-shaped.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are coarse, 4-12mm wide, and tapering to a point. They are typically light green to bluish-green with visible veins and a rough texture on the edges. Vernation is rolled; the ligule is tall and membranous; auricles are absent.
Root System
Fibrous root system, relatively shallow but dense. It does not form rhizomes or stolons and has low thatch tendency. It establishes very quickly from seed.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to South America; naturalized throughout the Southern United States and California
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) with an upright to spreading habit
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; prefers moist soils but is drought tolerant as an annual. It thrives in fertile, alkaline to neutral soils.
Mowing & Maintenance
In lawns, it is considered a weed and is difficult to control with mowing as it can set seed even at low heights (2 inches). If used as forage, it requires medium maintenance and nitrogen fertilization.
Special Characteristics
Highly prolific seeder; can quickly overtake lawns in early spring. It has good cold tolerance for a winter annual but poor heat tolerance.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Invasive in many regions. Provides early season forage for livestock and seeds for birds, but often outcompetes desirable native cool-season grasses.