Quackgrass- Elymus repens
Elymus repens (L.) Gould (aka Elytrigia repens, Agropyron repens)
Poaceae (Grass family)
MI Status
Non-native
Life cycle
Erect, rhizomatous perennial.
Leaves
Leaves are rolled in the bud, hairless to sparsely hairy above and up to 8 inches long. Leaf sheaths are hairless except those near the base, which may be sparsely hairy. Clasping, clawlike auricles are present at the collar region.
Ligule
Very short,membranous ligule.
Stems
Erect and clump-forming, up to 4 feet tall. Plants spread by thin, yellowish to white, sharp-tipped rhizomes.
Flowers and fruit
The seedhead is a two- to 10-inch-long, slender, unbranched spike made up of several alternating spikelets arranged edgewise on the stem. Each spikelet contains up to eight straw-colored, lance-shaped seeds. Each seed has a short to prominent awn.
Reproduction
Seeds and rhizomes.




Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
MSU researcher awarded five-year, $2.5 million grant to develop risk assessment training program
Published on October 13, 2020
-
MSU Product Center helps Michigan food entrepreneurs survive and thrive throughout pandemic
Published on August 31, 2021
-
Protecting Michigan’s environment and wildlife through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
Published on September 1, 2021
-
MSU Extension to undertake three-year, $7 million vaccination education effort
Published on August 17, 2021
-
MSU to study precision livestock farming adoption trends in U.S. swine industry
Published on March 15, 2021
-
MSU research team receives USDA grant to evaluate effectiveness, cost of new blueberry pest management strategies
Published on February 19, 2021
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.