Image
seed head
Sue Carnahan
Common Name(s)
Red brome
Foxtail chess
Foxtail brome
Scientific Name
Bromus rubens
Family
Grass family (Poaceae)
Reasons for concern
Red brome grows quickly, decreasing natural biodiversity. Mature red brome is highly flammable, which greatly increases the fire potential, intensity, and burn speed, which significantly impacts important non-fire adapted species like the saguaro. The awns are sharp and can hurt wildlife, livestock, and people.
Classification
Non-native
Botanical description
Tufted bunchgrass with red to green awns on erect stems
Leaves
Flat, slightly haired leaf blades with prominent veins.
Stem(s)
8-20 inches, grow erect from a central bunch or slightly spread out
Inflorescence
2-3 inches long dense with several green to red upright awns that droop and droop as they mature
Roots
Shallow, grow slowly in the winter and speed up growth in the spring
Native to
Mediterranean
Where it grows
Open spaces, non disturbed areas, deserts, grasslands
Lifecycle
Annual
Reproduction
By seed
Weedy Characteristics
Red brome only requires ½ inch of precipitation to germinate, which makes it easily outcompete native species that require more water. Red brome seeds are on awns, which stick to animals, people, and vehicles, which allows them to spread wide distances
Look-alike Plants
California brome (Bromus carinatus) has much smaller awns with less red color.
Control Strategies
Since the roots are shallow, manual removal is effective, but do so before seeds form to prevent future germination. Mowing is also effective before seeds form. Repeat treatments are necessary due to how easy seeds spread.
