Green foxtail is a weedy and aggressive annual grass native to Eurasia. It reproduces by seeds and can produce several generations in a single season. It will grow in sun to part shade in most soils, either moist to dry, blooms early and all season and spread quickly. The inflorescence is 1-4 inches long and often nods at the tip. The leaves are up to 12 inches long, 1 inch wide and light green. The form is multi-stemmed and spreading. It prefers disturbed areas with poor soil and usually doesn't invade high-quality natural areas as much. Some small mammals and grazing animals will eat this plant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Multi-stemmed; Prostrate
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath; Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Light green leaves are 2-12 inches long and about .5 to 1 inch wide with fine but distinctive veins and a drooping form. They are scabrous above, usually glabrous below and sheaths are sometimes purplish at the base with a few hairs.
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
Spike-like panicle that is 1-4 inches long, erect and often nods as it reaches the tip. 2-6 spikelets (flower clusters) are densely packed along the panicle. At the base of each are 1-3 bristles that are green or purple
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Fruit detail
Oval, tapered and flattened seeds fall from the spikelet
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stems are green, smooth, erect to ascending the lower part is often prostrate, then grows upward.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Old World, Australia
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Landscape Use
Garden tags
#annual weed #summer annual weed #disturbed areas #weedy