Meadow Barley
Hordeum brachyantherum
- Native to:
- Aleutian Is., Canada, Kuril Is., Labrador, Mexico, Russia, United States
Stephen Laymon, Bureau of Land Management
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Hordeum
- Species:
- Hordeum brachyantherum
- USDA Symbol:
- HOBR2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 70 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base following fire. Responds positively to periodic burning in meadow and grassland habitats.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in wet meadows and marshes
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with cold stratification. Can also be fall-sown for natural stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Germination is most successful in a warm greenhouse environment, although no specific pre-treatment is required.
Establishment: Seeds are collected between June 1st and July 31st. Mature inflorescences are light brown. Seed is easily collected when a cupped hand is dragged across seed stalks. The plant is found in moist places below 5,000 feet elevation; from Alaska south to California, and through the Rocky Mountains to New Mexico and east across Canada to Labrador.
Source: npn.rngr.net