Identifying Quackgrass vs. Wheatgrass

Growing Conditions

• Wheatgrass is a range land plant and typically grows in arid conditions and plains areas. It is drought-resistant and isn't typically found in wet or boggy areas. Wheatgrass can grow in a variety of soil types, but tends to establish primarily in areas with sand or well-drained soil since a waterlogged soil surface kills the plants.

  Quackgrass is a perennial weed that infiltrates nutrient rich, well-watered flower beds and lawn areas. Quackgrass tends to establish in perennial beds where the soil is rarely cultivated deeply.

Root System

• Both wheatgrass and quackgrass spread through rhizomes. The rhizome makes up part of the root system. Quackgrass rhizomes spread beneath the soil surface in long, thick tendrils. You can see the segments that make up each tendril as it spreads horizontally out from the plant. Smaller rootlets trail down from the rhizomes and anchor the weed in the ground. Wheatgrass rhizomes form in tighter clumps and do not spread out in the dense horizontal mat like those of quackgrass.

Stems and Leaves

• Wheatgrass and quackgrass both have tall, slender stems that appear segmented. Wheatgrass reaches a height between 2 feet and 3 feet at maturity, while quackgrass grows between 1 foot and 4 feet tall. Wheatgrass tends to remain upright, while quackgrass stems often fall over and sprawl beneath their own weight. Both produce leaf blades along the stem. Wheatgrass leaves have a hairy upper surface and form both at the base of the plant and along the stem. Quackgrass leaves are usually smooth and form primarily along the stem.

Seeds

• Seed formation is where quackgrass and wheatgrass differ most in appearance. Quackgrass sends up a seed spike that then branches into several 2 inch to 8 inch small spikes at the top. Each spike produces seeds along its length which cling closely to the spike. Wheatgrass sends up a single seed spike and produces seeds along either side of the spike. The seeds stick out perpendicular from the spike stem. Wheatgrass may also have fuzzy seeds, unlike the smooth seeds on quackgrass.