Goatgrass: What Every Gardener Should Know About This Non-Native Annual Grass
If you’ve ever wondered about those scrappy little grasses popping up in fields, roadsides, or even your own backyard, you might be looking at goatgrass (Aegilops). This unassuming annual grass has quietly made itself at home across much of the United States, though it’s originally from far across the ocean.
The Basics: What Is Goatgrass?
Goatgrass is a non-native annual grass that belongs to the same family as wheat and other cereal grains. Don’t let the name fool you – goats aren’t particularly fond of it, and it’s not something you’d want to showcase in your prized flower beds. This grass-like plant reproduces on its own in the wild and has established itself in no fewer than 33 states across the country.
Where You’ll Find It
Goatgrass has spread far and wide since its introduction to North America. You can find it growing in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Should You Plant Goatgrass in Your Garden?
Here’s the honest truth: goatgrass isn’t going to win any beauty contests in the plant world. While it’s not particularly harmful, it’s also not particularly useful for most home gardeners. This annual grass lacks the ornamental appeal that makes other grasses garden-worthy, and it doesn’t offer significant benefits to pollinators since it’s wind-pollinated.
If you’re looking to add native grasses to your landscape, you’ll find much better options that provide both beauty and ecological benefits. Consider these native alternatives instead:
- Little bluestem for prairie-style gardens
- Buffalo grass for drought-tolerant lawns
- Switchgrass for tall, dramatic texture
- Blue grama for low-maintenance groundcover
Growing Conditions and Care
If you do encounter goatgrass or are curious about its growing habits, it’s surprisingly adaptable. This hardy annual can tolerate various soil types and becomes quite drought-tolerant once established. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3-9, which explains its wide distribution across the country.
As an annual, goatgrass completes its entire life cycle in one growing season, setting seed before winter arrives. It’s quite capable of self-seeding, which is how it has spread so successfully across different regions.
The Bottom Line
While goatgrass isn’t necessarily a problem plant, it’s not particularly exciting either. If you’re planning your garden or landscape, you’ll get much more bang for your buck by choosing native grass species that support local wildlife, offer seasonal interest, and contribute to your area’s natural ecosystem.
Remember, every plant we choose for our gardens is a vote for the kind of landscape we want to create. Why not make that vote count for something beautiful and beneficial to your local environment?
