Bromus carinatus - California Brome

Description

This is a wide ranging perennial bunch grass. It can be found in open shrubland, woodlands and coniferous forests below elevations of 11,000 ft. It grows to a height of 2 feet and is usefull as a slope stabilizer and as a nurse plant for other native grasses such as Nassellas and Festucas. The seeds are a source of food for quail. Native Peoples harvested the seeds for use in pinole. The foliage is larval food for the Umber Skipper butterfly. By incorporating it into your garden, you will be replacing a piece of the web of life that is California.