Publication: Novi Commentarii Academiae Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanae 14(1) 1770 I. 540. 1770.

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Herbarium search: CPNWH

Notes: FNA24: "Among the more commonly encountered variants of Agropyron cristatum in the Flora region are the cultivar "˜Fairway\\\', which was considered by Dillman (1946) and Dewey (1986) to belong to A. cristatum rather than A. desertorum, and its derivatives "˜Parkway\\\' and "˜Ruff\\\'. The name "Fairway" is also widely used in agricultural circles to refer to any crested wheatgrass that looks like the cultivar "˜Fairway\\\'. "Standard" crested wheatgrass, which Dewey (1986) and others placed in A. desertorum, originally referred to a particular seed lot (S.P.I. 19537) that the Montana Wheatgrowers\\\' Association decided to use as a standard against which to compare the performance of other crested wheatgrass strains. The term is now applied by agronomists to all crested wheatgrasses that are less leafy and have more lanceolate spikes than "Fairway" crested wheatgrasses. There are numerous cultivars of crested wheatgrass available.

Because it is easy to establish, Agropyron cristatum has often been used to restore productivity to areas that have been overgrazed, burned, or otherwise disturbed. This ability, combined with its high seed production, tends to prevent establishment of most other species, both native and introduced."

Last updated 11/30/2023 by John Haskins.