Scientific Name:
Elymus repens
ssp.
repens
Pronunciation:
ELL-ih-muss REE-penz subspecies REE-penz
Common Name:
quackgrass, couchgrass
Family Name:
Poaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial, Invasive plant, Poales (grass-like), Weed (horticultural)
Key ID Features:
Stems (culms) 40-150cm tall; rhizomes long, aggressive, sharp-pointed with yellowish tips; leaves linear, 15-40cm long and 3-10mm broad at the base of the plant, with leaves higher on the stems 2-8mm broad, vernation rolled, blade rough on the upper surface, not glossy, auricles 1mm long, slender and overlapping to clasp the culm, ligule 0.5-1mm long, sheath not compressed, base with trichomes; flower spike 10-30cm long, spikelets 1–2cm long, 5-7mm broad and 3mm thick with three to eight florets, glumes 7-12mm long, usually without an awn or with only a short one. Wikipedia
Habit:
Spreading, Upright
Form:
Vase
Texture:
Fine
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Central / west Asia, Europe (Arctic biome)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Erosion control
Additional Info:
Google. Noxious weed (syn. Agropyron repens).
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Grass-like
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Bluish, Green
Shapes:
Linear
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Sheathing
Margins:
Entire
Additional Info:
Leaves rolled in the bud
Inflorescence Type:
Spikelet
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Green-yellow
Flower Time at Peak:
Jun, Jul, Aug
Additional Info:
Spikelets flattened with 4 to 6 florets, alternately arranged along a common zig-zagged axis up to 15cm long.
Fruit Type:
Grain (caryopsis)
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Additional Info:
Burred, sharp awl
Bark or Stem Colour:
Organ Modifications:
Rhizomes
Pest Susceptibility:
(Drought tolerant)
Course(s):
- not used (on campus)
Location(s):
- (TFL) Turf Field Lab
- (TFLW) Turf Field Lab West
- (WDY) WeeDY location