Pest Photo

Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org

Cheatgrass; Downy brome

Bromus tectorum

Cheatgrass; Downy brome (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive plant of Southern Europe, Africa amd Asia. It was first detected in New York and Pennsylvania in 1861.

Cheatgrass displaces native vegetation. It outcompetes the seedlings of native and desirable species for soil moisture. Cheatgrass changes the frequency, extent, and timing of wildfires. .

For more information about this plant pest, see the CABI data sheet.