Bromus japonicus aka Japanese Brome

Bromus japonicus is a grass in the Poaceae family. Common names include Japanese chess, field brome, and Thunberg's brome. Its native range runs from southern Europe and the Mediterranean to eastern Asia. It has also become naturalised across much of North America. The RHS records it as non-native in Britain and Ireland. Its listed synonyms include Bromus patulus and Bromus anatolicus.

This short-lived grass grows as an annual or biennial. It reaches about 2.6 feet [0.8 metres] in height. The supplied species account gives no mature width. It also lacks details about leaf shape or stem colour. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind carries the pollen, rather than insects or birds. The evidence gives no flowering season or detailed fruit description. The seeds are very small, which makes food use awkward.

Choose a sunny site with soil that drains well. The plant also tolerates partial shade, including light woodland shade. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay where drainage suits it. It can grow in mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline soil. Both dry and moist ground suit this species. PFAF lists USDA hardiness zones 7–10 for the plant. It also gives a UK zone number of 8. That figure is not an RHS H-scale hardiness rating.

PFAF records the grass in fields and on waste ground. Its habitat records include British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. The source also lists cultivated beds as a growing setting. Sow seed where it will grow in spring or autumn. Cover the seed with only a thin layer of soil. PFAF gives a germination time of about two weeks. For scarce seed, it suggests early spring sowing in a cold frame. Sow on the surface, then move seedlings into separate pots. Plant them outside in early summer once large enough to handle.

PFAF lists both leaves and seeds as edible parts. It rates the plant's food value at one out of five. It gives no preparation details for either edible part. The source reports no known hazards, but supplies no safety studies. It lists no known medicinal uses or other uses. The supplied accounts give no species-specific pest or disease information.