Barnyard Grass (with Yellow Foxtail visible in background)
Echinochloa crus-galli · Warm-season, Annual, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Panicoideae, Tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed Grass, Agricultural Weed
Variety / Cultivar
Common Wild Type
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-11; dies with the first hard frost but persists in the seed bank for many years.
About This Grass
A coarse, vigorous annual grass reaching 3-5 feet if unmowed. It features thick, hairless stems that are often flattened at the base. The seed heads are large, branched panicles (2-8 inches long) with densely crowded, greenish to purplish spikelets, sometimes bearing long awns.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are coarse (8-20mm wide), flat, and elongated with a prominent white midrib. They are typically dark green to grayish-green. Vernation is rolled. A key diagnostic feature is the complete absence of a ligule and auricles; the collar is smooth.
Root System
Fibrous root system; shallow to moderate depth. It is a prolific seed producer rather than a sod-former, allowing it to colonize disturbed or moist soils rapidly.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Eurasia; naturalized throughout North America and worldwide in temperate and tropical regions.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); can be decumbent or erect with thick, succulent stems.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun preferred; high water needs. It thrives in moist, nitrogen-rich soils, ditches, and irrigated croplands, but is moderately drought-tolerant once established.
Mowing & Maintenance
Not maintained; usually controlled via herbicides or frequent mowing to prevent seed production. If mowed like turf, it appears as a coarse, clumping blemish. Maintenance level: N/A (Weed).
Special Characteristics
Extremely high seed production (up to 40,000 seeds per plant); mimics young rice plants; resistant to some herbicides; prefers disturbed, wet soils.
Ecological Information
Introduced and considered highly invasive in agricultural settings. While seeds provide food for some waterfowl and songbirds, it often displaces native wetland vegetation or lowers crop yields.