Amazing Facts About Foxtail Grass

Tall Grasses

• Some foxtails, like the yellow foxtail, can grow up to 3 feet long. The blade tips alone can grow up to 15 inches tall and 1/2 inch across. Stepping on one of these tall blades can prove extremely painful because of the sharp extending spikelets, or barbs.

A Dog's Nightmare

• If a human comes into contact with a foxtail barb, it can be annoying and painful. For dogs and other small mammals, it can become a serious cause for concern. When foxtail heads dry, the barbs can become airborne, burrowing into a dog's nose, eyes, ears or deep into the skin. These barbs can get into the lungs and cause breathing difficulties or move deep into the ear canal and cause pain and head shaking. The bacteria they carry can cause infection and tissue damage.

Beneficial Foxtails

• Some foxtail grasses actually offer profound benefits, particularly to livestock and farming environments. The creeping foxtail, for example, provides sustenance to cattle, and remains plentiful as a result of its quick and abundant reproduction. Creeping foxtail grass is also frost-resistant and can survive in both moist and dry environments. It also aids in liquid waste disposal, since it can withstand large amounts of fertilizer, particularly fertilizers rich in nitrogen and water.

Widespread Presence

• Foxtails grow throughout most of America, especially in states west of the Mississippi River. They are most abundant in California, including in the Sierra Nevada. Yellow and green foxtails are the most abundant varieties, and grow especially well from May to December since they can withstand a wide spectrum of weather conditions. They grow best in lower elevations.