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Arizona
Range Grasses Back to the Table of Contents
Growth habit: Short-lived annual grass, 2 to 15
inches tall.
Occurrence Below 6,000 feet on dry mesas, washes and waste places
throughout the state except in Apache and Navajo counties. It grows
most commonly where the original stand of perennial grasses has been
disturbed, or where rainfall is too low to grow perennials. Forage Value Sixweeks needle grama produces a small amount of poor quality forage. It yields a low volume of herbage that loses most of its nutrient value about the time the seeds are shed. The plants have a weak root system and as a consequence are easily pulled up by grazing animals. The dirt on the roots is objectionable to livestock and is one of the major reasons why this grass is rated as poor forage. In addition, it has a much shorter growing season than the associated perennial grasses.
Sixweeks needle grama is primarily a summer annual and
is most valuable during July and August. It grows to some extent in
the spring but seldom produces much feed at this season. Many ranchers consider annuals, either summer or winter, as short-time feed that must be consumed completely at the time they are palatable. Although annuals are palatable for a short time only, the ungrazed plants are not entirely wasted. The unused plant material holds moisture on the area and increases moisture penetration, thus improving conditions so that perennial grasses may take over.
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Cooperative
Extension,College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, The University of
Arizona