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Arizona
Range Grasses Back to the Table of Contents
Growth habit: A moderately coarse perennial bunchgrass.
The numerous flowering stems are usually 1 to 3 feet tall and are moderately
leafy, particularly near the base of the plant.
Occurrence In open forests and mountain meadows at elevations from
5,000 to 12,000 feet. Where these conditions occur, slender wheatgrass
may be found from Apache to Mohave counties on the north to Cochise
and Pima counties on the south. Forage Value Slender wheatgrass furnishes good to excellent feed for
all classes of livestock and wild ungulates. Because the plants are
moderately coarse they are grazed somewhat more readily by elk, cattle
and horses than by sheep or deer. Sheep do make good use of the growing
leaves, however, taking them about as readily as they do fescues and
bluegrasses. Slender wheatgrass begins growth as soon as the weather
warms up in the spring and, provided moisture is available, continues
growth through the summer. It does not withstand as heavy grazing as
grasses that produce rootstocks, but will maintain its vigor under moderate
grazing more or less indefinitely. Like most grasses, it thrives best
under a deferred grazing program that protects the plants during the
growing season at periodic intervals. The poorer the condition of the
range, the more essential this kind of management becomes.
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Cooperative
Extension,College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, The University of
Arizona