Agropyron Spicatum
Synonym: Pseudoroegneria spicataCommon Name: Bluebunch Wheatgrass
The common name of Agropyron Spicatum (which is synonymous with Pseudoroegneria spicata) is bluebunch wheatgrass. Bluebunch wheatgrass is one of the most common native grasses in western states including Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, northern portions of Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. This is due to the well drained, coarse soils. In Utah specifically, it is one of the most widely distributed species. It is very common in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains.
Bluebunch wheatgrass is highly variable and grows to 1.5 to 4 feet tall with seed spikes 3 to 8 inches long. It is a blue-green grass that grows in bunches. The species is somewhat fire-tolerant, but cannot survive abusive livestock grazing. This species can however withstand early heavy use, if it is used in a rotational grazing system. Therefore, bluebunch wheatgrass can serve as food source to all classes of livestock and wildlife.
In spring, the protein levels in the plant can be as high as 20 percent decreasing to about 4 percent protein as the seed matures and cures. Digestible carbohydrates remain about 45 percent throughout the active growth period. The amount of nutrients in bluebunch wheatgrass is one of the reasons why it is seen as such a great source of food for many animals.
