Quackgrass (Agropyron repens or Elytrigia repens)

Quackgrass description

Quackgrass is a competitive perennial that spreads by seed or rhizomes and is very difficult to control.

Propagation

Spreads by strong rhizomes, or horizontal underground stems.

Similar species

Other spreading grasses include bentgrass, nimblewill, bermudagrass, and zoysia. All are difficult, if not impossible, to control.

Distribution

Throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Identifying Quackgrass

Seedling

Bright green, with slightly hairy leaves, leaves may be twisted, roots fibrous.

Mature plant

Quackgrass has coarse-textured (wide) blue-green leaves with long, clawlike auricles (appendages where the leaf blade meets the stem).

Root fibrous roots emerge from rhizomes. Rhizomes about 1/8 inch across, branched, with pointed tips, creamy yellow, tough, usually 2 to 8 inches deep.

Stems erect, jointed, branching from the base, 1 to 4 feet tall, smooth.

Root structure description

If you pull up quackgrass, the long white rhizomes will be visible.