Western wheatgrass
Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) is a rhizomatous native cool-season grass and the backbone of Northern Plains CRP seedings. It handles heavy clay, saline seeps, and drought, greens up early, and forms a tough sod that resists both erosion and weed invasion.
Why landowners plant western wheatgrass
- Rhizomatous sod holds highly erodible clay and slope ground.
- Tolerates saline and alkaline soils that defeat most natives.
- Cool-season growth extends forage and cover into spring and fall.
- Long-lived and low-maintenance across Montana, the Dakotas, and Wyoming.
Site fit
Standard on Northern Plains CP1, CP2, and CP25 acres, on saline seeps, and on heavy clay pan soils. Less useful in the eastern Corn Belt, where mesic warm-season grasses outperform it.
Establishment
Seed drills easily at 1/2 inch deep. Establishes moderately fast for a native but spreads slowly by rhizome over three to four years. Dormant or early-spring seeding both work well.
Management
Graze after full establishment. Tolerates spring burning but responds best to rest during drought years.
CRP practice fit
Primary cool-season native in Northern Plains grass plantings.
Used where native cool-season cover is required or preferred.
Standard component of Northern Plains mixed-grass CP25 mixes.
Featured mixes with western wheatgrass
Pairs well with
Green needlegrass · Blue grama · Sideoats grama · Purple prairie clover
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Western wheatgrass is a native rhizomatous cool-season grass of the Great Plains. It should not be confused with introduced species such as smooth brome or crested wheatgrass, which are not accepted in most native CRP practice specifications.
It is among the most salt-tolerant native grasses available, which makes it the default choice for saline seeps and sodic clay spots in the Dakotas and eastern Montana where other natives fail.