Barnyard grass.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Grass

Light

Full sun

Indoor light

Direct sun

Water

Every 2 to 5 days

Mature size

1 to 5 feet

Growth rate

Fast

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 10

Bloom time

Mid summer to early autumn

Care

This plant thrives in moist, nitrogen rich soil and requires plenty of sunlight to reach its full potential. Watch for rapid spread, as it produces a high volume of seeds that can quickly colonize an area. It is generally not kept as an ornamental, so management usually involves removal before it sets seed.

Watering

Keep the soil consistently moist as this plant prefers damp conditions.

Feeding

It thrives in high nitrogen environments, though supplemental feeding is rarely necessary.

Pruning

Remove seed heads before they mature to prevent unwanted spread.

Repotting

As an annual, this plant completes its life cycle in one season and does not require repotting.

Soil

Moist, fertile, loamy soil

Soil pH

5.5 to 7.5

Temperature

10 to 35°C

Humidity

40 to 80%

Safety

People

The plant is not considered toxic, but it is a significant agricultural weed that can harbor pathogens.

Children

The sharp, rough edges of the leaves can cause paper-like cuts on sensitive skin.

Contact allergens

The rough leaf margins can cause minor skin irritation if handled without gloves.

Airborne allergens

The pollen can be a moderate trigger for those with grass allergies during the late summer.

Edibility

While the seeds are technically edible, they are often contaminated with ergot or other fungi and are not recommended for consumption.

How to identify it

• Coarse, tufted annual grass
• Leaves often have a white midrib
• Stems are flattened at the base
• Panicle inflorescence with bristly spikelets
• Lacks a ligule at leaf base

Height

0.3 to 1.5m

Spread

0.2 to 0.6m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

green, purple, 0.2 to 0.5cm

Fruit

brown, straw, Autumn

Problems to watch for

• Smut · Fungal infections can cause dark, powdery spore masses to form on the seed heads.

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

spring

Avoid planting this anywhere near agricultural crops or manicured garden beds.

Keep away from

• Corn · It is a severe competitor for nutrients and water in corn fields.
• Rice · It mimics rice growth and significantly reduces crop yields.

Similar species

• Large crabgrass · It is another common annual grass weed that occupies similar disturbed habitats.

Science

Family

Poaceae

Genus

Echinochloa

Order

Poales

Class

Liliopsida

Native range

Eurasia and North Africa.

Conservation

It is considered a highly invasive weed in many parts of the world and is not of conservation concern.

It survives by rapidly colonizing disturbed, moist soils and producing massive quantities of seeds that can remain viable in the soil for years.

Value to wildlife

seeds provide food for birds, provides cover for small mammals

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Uses

wildlife habitat, soil erosion control

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this plant good for a home garden?

No, it is an aggressive weed that will quickly take over garden beds and compete with your desired plants.

How do I get rid of it?

Hand-pulling before it sets seed is the most effective method, as it is an annual that relies entirely on seed production.

Where the name comes from

The name Echinochloa comes from the Greek words for hedgehog and grass, referring to the bristly appearance of the seed heads. The specific epithet crus-galli translates to cock's spur, describing the shape of the spikelets.

Good to know

• It is commonly known as barnyard grass because it thrives in disturbed, nutrient-rich soils like those found in barnyards.
• It is one of the most widespread weeds in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica.
• The plant is highly efficient at using nitrogen, which helps it outcompete crops.