Photo Credit: Elymus repens fruit & copy; L. Clark & A. Gardner

Photo Credit: E. repens plant © S. Dewey

Photo Credit: E. repens ligule © Ohio State Weed Lab Archive

Quackgrass is erect and can form clumps. Stems are round in cross-section and nodes appear swollen. Leaves are rolled in the bud, flat, droop and are often constricted at the tip. The lower leaf surface has a waxy coating, and the upper leaf surface has either a hairy or waxy coating. The sheath is open, hairless or covered with short, soft hairs. The ligule is membranous with a fine fringe. Auricles are narrow, clasp the stem, and tinged whitish to violet. Flowering takes place from May through September. The flower head is a spike about 2 to 8 inches (5–20 cm) long. The spikelets are flattened, stalkless, and alternate to one another along the spike. (Description taken from UC Davis IPM.)

Plant Details