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Agropyron cristatum

crested wheatgrass

Poaceae Eurasian steppes

Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Agropyron cristatum is a cool-season perennial bunchgrass in the grass family, forming dense tufts 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) tall. Narrow, flat to inrolled leaf blades 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long arise mostly from the base, with a fibrous root system that reaches deep into dry soil. Flowering stems carry a flattened, comb-like seed head 1.5-3 inches (4-8 cm) long in which the spikelets are arranged in two rows, the source of the crested common name. The heads emerge greenish and dry to straw-tan in early summer. The species is a cool-season grower, greening up early in spring and again in fall while going semi-dormant in summer heat. It is strongly drought tolerant and cold hardy, persisting on the dry plains and steppes where it is grown. Introduced widely for grazing, hay, and erosion control on rangeland, it establishes readily from seed and can spread into adjoining ground, sometimes displacing native grasses. Its summer dormancy and coarse, tufted form limit its ornamental use in irrigated gardens.

Native Range

Native to the steppes and dry grasslands of eastern Europe and central Asia, from Russia and Ukraine across Siberia to Mongolia.

Suggested Uses

Used for rangeland forage, hay, and erosion control on dry plains and reclaimed sites, seeded at pasture rates rather than spaced individually. In low-water landscapes it serves as a tough groundcover grass on exposed, dry slopes.

How to Identify

Identify it by dense basal tufts of narrow leaves and erect stems topped by a flattened seed head with spikelets set in two comb-like rows. The crested, two-ranked head and bunching habit separate it from the spreading quackgrass and from native wheatgrasses.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread8" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering heads emerge from late spring into early summer, chiefly May and June, and dry to straw color as seed ripens. Pollination is by wind, and the grass produces no showy flowers. Seed is shed through summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

greenish, drying to straw-tan

Foliage Description

green to blue-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.5(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand rocky clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years from seed

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun on well-drained loam, sandy, or rocky soils and tolerates poor, dry, alkaline ground. Established stands are strongly drought tolerant and need no irrigation across their range. Soil pH from 6.0 to 8.5 is suitable, and wet or poorly drained sites are not tolerated. It is hardy in USDA zones 3-8 and withstands severe cold and wind. Propagation is from seed sown in fall or early spring. Once established it self-seeds and persists for many years with little added care.