Hordeum brachyantherum aka Meadow Barley

Hordeum brachyantherum is also known as meadow barley. It belongs to Poaceae, the grass family. Its home range spans the Russian Far East and North America. It reaches as far as northwestern Mexico. It grows in regions with a temperate climate. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Kew lists it as perennial, meaning it lives for several years. PFAF’s fuller account does too. Yet parts of PFAF’s entry call it annual, meaning it lives one year. It grows in bunches, not as a large-grained food crop.

Plants reach about 3.3 feet [1 metre] tall. They spread about 1.3 feet [0.4 metres] wide. They grow fast when conditions suit them. Their fine, fibrous roots hold soil and help stop banks washing away. Wild and farm animals graze on the young leaves. The heads bear slim bristles called awns. These harden as the grain ripens. Each group has one fertile spikelet, or small flower spike, at its centre. The two side spikelets tend to be small or sterile. Wind carries the pollen. Ripe heads break apart with ease.

Meadow barley grows in wet meadows and at marsh edges. It also grows in grasslands that flood at certain times of year. It lives by rivers and lakes, and in mountain meadows. It grows in damp, open parts of woods too. In gardens, it accepts full sun or light shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and copes with floods. Sand, loam, and clay can all suit it. It accepts slightly acid to alkaline soil, even very alkaline ground. Salt in the soil need not rule it out. PFAF gives a USDA hardiness range of zones 3–9.

This grass helps restore wetlands and native grasslands. It takes hold fast and covers disturbed wet ground. With the right care, it can compete with some unwanted non-native grasses. Small birds and rodents may eat its seeds. The husks and awns limit which animals can use them. The mature heads also make it less appealing to grazing animals. PFAF notes that it could become a weed. It does not make clear how severe this risk is.

People can eat the grain, but it takes much work to process. Each bristly head looks as though it holds more food than it does. Remove the awns and outer husks before you prepare the grain. Then boil, parch, crack, or grind it. Small seeds and heads that break apart make gathering less rewarding. Be sure of the plant’s identity before using it for food. PFAF notes past use as medicine but reports no specific, proven use in clinical care. Research on cultivated barley does not prove benefits for this species.