Is it a good garden plant?

It is generally considered a weed and is rarely cultivated intentionally.

How do I get rid of it?

Pull it before it sets seed to prevent it from spreading.

Plant guide

Barren brome.

Bromus sterilis

Pronounced BROH-mus STAIR-ih-liss

Also known as Barren Brome, Poverty brome, sterile brome

Barren brome is a common annual grass often found in disturbed areas and along roadsides. It is considered an invasive weed in many regions due to its ability to spread rapidly. You will mostly encounter it growing in wild patches rather than in a garden setting.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Annual grass
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 30 to 90 cm
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

Care

This plant thrives in poor, dry soil and requires very little attention. Watch for it crowding out other plants if you are trying to maintain a specific landscape. It is best to remove it before it sets seed to prevent further spread.

Watering: It is highly drought tolerant and rarely needs supplemental water.
Feeding: Fertilizer is not recommended as it thrives in low nutrient conditions.
Pruning: Remove the entire plant before it produces seeds to manage its spread.
Repotting: This plant is not typically grown in containers.
Soil: Well drained, sandy or rocky soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperature: -15 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%

Safety

People: The plant is not toxic but the sharp, barbed seeds can cause mechanical irritation to the skin or mouth.
Children: Keep children away from the seed heads as the sharp, barbed awns can easily puncture skin or get stuck in clothing.
Contact allergens: The rough, hairy foliage can cause minor skin irritation upon contact.
Airborne allergens: The windborne pollen can trigger seasonal allergies in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: This plant is not considered edible and may cause digestive upset if consumed.

How to identify it

Slender stems with drooping panicles
Long and narrow leaf blades
Distinctive long awns on spikelets
Rough texture on leaf sheaths

Height: 0.3 to 0.9m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.3m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: green, purple, 1 to 2cm
Fruit: brown, Summer

Problems to watch for

Rust · Fungal infection causing orange or brown pustules on the leaves.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: autumn, spring

This plant is highly competitive and will quickly crowd out slower growing wildflowers.

Grows well with

Common Poppy · They often grow together in disturbed, sunny meadows.
Cornflower · These species share similar habitat requirements in open fields.

Similar species

Soft Brome · It has a similar appearance but is generally shorter and less aggressive.

Science

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Bromus
Order: Poales
Class: Liliopsida
Native range: Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa.
Conservation: It is considered a common weed and is not of conservation concern.

It is a pioneer species that quickly colonizes disturbed ground and waste areas.

Value to wildlife: seeds provide food for small birds
Pollinators: beetles
Uses: ornamental grass in wild gardens, erosion control

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is it a good garden plant?: It is generally considered a weed and is rarely cultivated intentionally.
How do I get rid of it?: Pull it before it sets seed to prevent it from spreading.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Bromus comes from the Greek word for a type of oat, while the species name sterilis refers to its tendency to grow in barren or infertile soil.

Good to know

It is commonly known as barren brome.
It thrives in disturbed soils and roadside verges.
The plant is an annual that completes its life cycle in a single season.

Keep your barren brome growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

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This guide was generated with AI on October 19, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.