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Soft Brome

©Philip Precey

Soft brome

Soft brome is a tall, annual grass of roadside verges, waste ground and meadows, and is a 'weed' of arable land. It has long, grey-green leaves and loosely clustered flower spikes.

Scientific name

Bromus hordeaceus

When to see

January to December

Species information

Statistics

Height: up to 1m
Common.

About

The most common form of brome found in the UK, Soft Brome is an annual grass of roadside verges, waste ground, meadows and cultivated ground; it is considered a weed in cereal crops and on arable land. It flowers and seeds from May to August and can grow very quickly.

How to identify

Soft brome is quite variable in form, but usually appears as a tallish grass with grey-green leaves and loosely clustered flower heads. The spikelets are compact and oval, with spiky bristles at their tips.

Distribution

Widespread.

Did you know?

Soft brome is also known as 'Bull grass' and 'Soft chess' in North America.