Hordeum jubatum aka Foxtail Barley

Hordeum jubatum, or foxtail barley, belongs to the grass family, Poaceae. Other names include squirrel-tail grass and mouse barley. Its native range spans Siberia, the Caucasus, and northern China. It also grows from subarctic America through the western and central United States into northern Mexico. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. In California, it grows in grassy and bushy places.

This grass forms dense tufts and loses its leaves seasonally. Sources describe it as annual, biennial, or perennial. Garden plants reach about 1.6–3.3 feet [0.5–1 metre] tall. The RHS description gives a shorter height of 2 feet [0.6 metres]. Clumps spread about 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. The nodding flower heads bear green spikelets with long, fine awns. Some have red tips in early to midsummer. As seed heads age, they may turn silver, pink, purple, or bronze. They fade to straw shades as they dry. The heads then break into sharp, barbed seed segments.

Grow foxtail barley in full sun and soil that drains well. It accepts chalk, clay, loam, and sand. Acid, neutral, and alkaline soils all suit it. Soil moisture can range from dry to moist. The RHS rates its cold hardiness H6, covering Britain and northern Europe. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 3–9. Sow seed where plants will grow in spring or autumn. Routine pruning is not needed. The RHS reports few problems with pests or disease.

The seed heads give this grass value in borders and informal gardens. It also suits prairie-style planting and can provide short-term ground cover. Other uses include soil binding and forage before awns form. Yet it can seed freely and spread through disturbed ground. It may dominate degraded sites, so weigh that risk before planting. Removing flower heads before they dry and break apart can limit seed spread.

The soft-looking heads pose a serious physical hazard once mature. Barbed awns can lodge in fur, skin, eyes, ears, and mouths. They can enter animal tissues and cause wounds, swelling, and infection. Severe injuries can cause blindness or death. This is a mechanical danger, rather than evidence of a poison. The small grains are edible only after complete removal of husks and awns. Even one missed fragment can make them unsafe to eat. Some Indigenous North American groups used the root in eye compresses. These recorded uses do not remove the risks posed by mature seed heads.