Foxtail Barley
Hordeum jubatum
A slender, perennial grass featuring graceful, nodding, pale green to purplish flower spikes with long, silky awns that turn a golden straw color at maturity.
- Light
- Full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily
- Water
- Low to moderate water needs. Water when the top few inches of soil feel dry. Highly drought tolerant once established.
- Growth
- Perennial bunchgrass growing in dense tufts to a height of 1 to 2 feet with a similar spread, exhibiting a moderate growth rate.
Care instructions
Provide full sun and well-draining soil. Water moderately during establishment, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings, as it has good drought tolerance once mature.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily
Watering
Low to moderate water needs. Water when the top few inches of soil feel dry. Highly drought tolerant once established.
Soil
Adaptable to various well-draining soil types including sandy, loamy, or clay soils with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH range of 6.0 to 7.5.
Hardiness zone
USDA zones 3 through 9
Growth habit
Perennial bunchgrass growing in dense tufts to a height of 1 to 2 feet with a similar spread, exhibiting a moderate growth rate.
Bloom season
Late spring through summer, producing cylindrical, nodding spikes with very long, bristly awns.
Propagation
Propagated easily by seeds falling in the surrounding soil or by dividing mature root clumps in early spring.
Common pests & issues
Generally resilient, but can occasionally be affected by common grass rusts or fungal leaf spots if humidity is excessively high and airflow is poor.
Similar species
Squirreltail Barley (Hordeum murinum), which can be distinguished by shorter awns and more robust growth habit in disturbed habitats.