Bromus hordeaceus (soft brome)

Bromus hordeaceus

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Bromus hordeaceus (soft brome) is an annual grass (family Poaceae) distributed at low elevation areas in California, especially in disturbed and open areas. Bromus hordeaceus out competes native grasses and is commonly eaten by range animals, although its forage value is very low. It can invade soils with low fertility, such as the serpentine soils that are home to rare plant species.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Limited

Cal-IPC Resources on Bromus hordeaceus

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. List of articles on Bromus hordeaceus.
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Bromus hordeaceus.

Cal-IPC News Articles

• Hastings, M. and J. DiTomaso (1996). The use of fire for yellow starthistle Centaurea solstitialis) management and restoration of native grasslands at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. CalEPPC News. 4: 4-6.
• Young, S. L. (2002). Exploring alternative methods for vegetation control and maintenance along roadsides. CalEPPC News. 10: 5-7.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Boyd, D. (1995). Use of fire to control French broom. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '95. J. Lovich, J. Randall and M. Kelly. Pacific Grove, CA..
• Giessow, J. and P. Zedler (1996). The effects of fire frequency and firebreaks on the abundance and species richness of exotic plant species in coastal sage scrub. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '96. San Diego, CA.
• Hastings, M. S. and J. M. DiTomaso (1996). Fire controls yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitalis) in California grasslands. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '96. San Diego, CA.

Other Resources on Bromus hordeaceus

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.
• The Nature Conservancy Management Summary - Information compiled by TNC land managers. Photos included for some species.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.

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