QUACKGRASS - Agropyron repens L.

Poaceae - (Grass family)

Quack Grass is one of the very early emerging grasses.  The leaves are grey green, flat and narrow, ¼ to ½ inch wide. The lower portion extends as a sheath, not quite closing around the stem.  At the point where the sheath separates from the stem to become a leaf there are 2 “ear lobes”.  The sheath and the upper surface of the leaf may have a fine covering of hair.  The leaves may have a slight constriction about ½ to ¾ inch from the very pointed tip.

Previous (perennial) year’s roots send up leaves and stems, the grass also spreads from seed and by very long branching rhizomes. The sharp-pointed rhizomes are yellowish-white and are able to penetrate hard soils and the roots of other plants and trees.  Tilling or pulling are not very effective controls because any small piece of root is able to grow a new plant.

Flowers grow on each side in 2 flat rows on the upper 1/3 of each stem.  Each “flower” develops into several seeds, each of which may have a sharp bristle at the upper end.  10 year old seeds can still sprout and grow.

Quackgrass grows 1 to 3 foot tall; it has the ability to chemically deter the seed germination of other plants, thus creating a “no competition” environment.  Which ever way it spreads, the plant is aggressive and is a problem in crop, range and pasture land as well as on roadsides and in yard and garden areas.

The following is courtesy of Weeds of the West:
Quackgrass is an aggressive perennial grass reproducing by seed, or spreading by a shallow mass of long, slender, branching rhizomes. Rhizomes are usually yellowish-white, sharp-pointed, somewhat fleshy. They are able to penetrate hard soils or even tubers and roots of other plants. Stems are erect and usually 1 to 3 feet tall. Leaf blades are 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, flat, pointed and have small auricles (ear-like appendages) at the junction of blade and sheath. Leaf sheaths and the upper surface of leaf blades may be thinly covered with soft hairs. Spikelets are arranged in two long rows, borne flatwise to the stem. Florets are awnless, or with short straight awns.

Quackgrass was introduced from the Mediterranean area. It has spread over much of North America, adapting well to moist soils in cool temperate climates. Quackgrass reduces productivity in crops, rangeland and pasture. It is also a nuisance in lawns, ornamentals and home gardens and is believed to be allelopathic. Because of the ability of broken rhizome segments to grow and produce new plants, it is extremely difficult to control mechanically.

Synonym: Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.

(Courtesy of Weeds of the West)

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