Western Wheatgrass

Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve - Grass family

Size

Mature Height: Up to around 24 inches

Plant Type: Graminoid

Root Depth: 20 inches

Growth Form: Rhizomatous

Growth Rate: Rapid

Features

Flower Color: Yellow

Conspicuous Flowers: No

Bloom Time: Mid Summer

Seasonal Growth: Spring, Summer, Fall

Evergreen: No

Fall Colors: No

Conditions

Shade Tolerance: Intolerant

Clay Soil Tolerance: Yes

Sandy Soil Tolerance: No

Drought Tolerance: High

Flood Tolerance: Medium

Fire Tolerance: High

Salt Tolerance: High

Ecosystem Interactions

Pollinators: Larval Host (Butterfly); Larval Host (Moth); Wind

Larval Species depending on Western Wheatgrass: Euxoa auxilaris, Hemileuca oliviae, Poanes zabulon

Native Range

  • USA:  Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
  • CAN:  Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan
  • MEX:  Mexico Northeast
Regional Native Status: L48 (N), AK (I), CAN (N)

State-level native status is based on data available through Plants of the World Online. Regional Native Status comes from the USDA Plants Database. For more detailed native status information, please refer to BONAP.