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Jointed Goatgrass

Jointed Goat's Grass
Photo Credit: Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Retrieved from Bugwood.org (Image Number: 1459184), use under CC BY 3.0 US, modified from the original

Common Name: Jointed Goatgrass

Scientific Name: Aegilops cylindrica

Habitat: farmland, dry grassland, fence lines, disturbed areas

Provincial Designation: Prohibited Noxious

Prohibited Noxious weeds are plant species that are designated as "prohibited noxious" in the Alberta weed regulation. Prohibited noxious weeds must be destroyed, meaning all growing parts need to be killed or the plant's reproductive mechanisms need to be rendered non-viable.

Origin

Jointed goatgrass is native to southeast Europe and was introduced to North America in the late 1800s as a contaminant in wheat. In Canada, it was not discovered until 2006; it was first reported in Ontario.

Legislated Because

This grass is considered a serious problem in winter wheat in the US and is spreading extremely quickly.

Description

Jointed goatgrass is an annual grass that grows 35-70 cm tall. Its flowers are in narrow cylindrical spikes that are 5-10 cm long. Its leaves are 2-5 cm wide and 3-15 cm long and have short, evenly spaced hairs at the base where they meet the stem.