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How to Manage Pests

Identification: Weed Photo Gallery

Quackgrass

Scientific name: Elytrigia repens (Family Poaceae)

Life stages of Quackgrass top picture bottom left picture bottom right picture

Click on image to enlarge

DESCRIPTION:
Quackgrass, a perennial, is a pest in California's northern and coastal counties. Found abundantly in mountain meadows, it thrives on different soil types, in gravel and peat, and also under saline and alkaline conditions. Rhizomes can penetrate hard soils and potato tubers and are easily spread when chopped up. Occurring mostly in the upper 6 inches (15 cm) of soil, rhizomes may reach a depth of 8 inches (20 cm) and spread laterally 3 to 5 feet (0.9 - 1.5 m). Glaucous leaf blades have a pair of auricles at the base of each leaf blade. Leaves are often constricted near the tips. Seeds are formed in flattened spikelets. Cultivation and herbicide applications may need to be repeated to eliminate quackgrass problems. Avoid spreading or reintroducing quackgrass on contaminated equipment or in irrigation water.

Grass ID illustration.


Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
All contents copyright © 2008 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See How to manage pests, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance. /PMG/WEEDS/quackgrass.html revised: March 11, 2008. Contact webmaster.