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Arizona
Range Grasses Back to the Table of Contents
Description Growth habit: A moderately coarse perennial sodgrass
1 to 2 1/2 feet tall, spreading by underground
rootstocks. Occurrence On dry hills, moist open ground, and open pine forests in Apache, Navajo, Coconino, Yavapai, Graham, and Pima counties from 3,000 to 7,000 feet. The grass is adapted to a variety of soil conditions but makes its best growth on heavy soils where an adequate supply of moisture is available. It is tolerant of moderately alkaline soils.
Forage Value When western wheatgrass is green it is highly palatable
for all classes of livestock and wild ungulates. The plants start growth
early in the spring, are largely dormant in the dry period before the
summer rains, then resume growth when these rains have wet the soil.
During years with early fall rains, the plants may produce additional
growth before winter. When cut during the late-bloom to early-dough stage western
wheatgrass makes very good hay. The stems are rather coarse but the
protein content is high and cattle and horses eat the hay readily. Grazing Management Care should be taken not to graze western wheatgrass too
closely. Heavy grazing reduces the forage yield and may result in death
of some of the plants. In order to maintain or increase the stand of
this grass, it should be grazed more lightly during the spring months
than is usually the case on most of our rangelands.
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Cooperative
Extension,College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, The University of
Arizona