Russian wildrye

Russian Wildrye is a long-lived, cool-season bunchgrass. It resembles Crested Wheatgrass.

AREA OF ADAPTATION: This native Russian grass has been introduced into the Northern Great Plains, Intermountain and Rocky Mountain Regions. It is best adapted to silty and clayey soils of high fertility and a good balance of precipitation.

PLANTING: Drill the seed no more than 1 inch deep. Seeding vigor is only fair, making it hard to establish. Once established, it is more drought resistant than Crested Wheatgrass. It is best planted alone in 18 inch or wider rows on semi-arid sites. Do not plant on land with more than 2% slope.

MANAGEMENT: Russian Wildrye is seeded for pastures exclusively because the wide plant spacings make it ineffective for controlling soil erosion or soil stabilization on slopes. It is best used in the spring and fall as a supplement to other forage resources.