Bromus tectorum
Cheat grass, downy chess, Downy Chess
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Bromus tectorum (Cheat grass) is a non-native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by small size, purple coloration when mature, and drooping inflorescence.
Cheat grass is a naturalized annual grass found throughout California in open, disturbed areas at elevations up to 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to August, this grass produces light brown to golden spikelets 10 to 20 millimeters long with spreading, nodding branches. Growing 5 to 40 centimeters tall with slender, upright stems, it quickly colonizes disturbed landscapes. Its leaf blades are narrow, 1 to 5 millimeters wide, often long-hairy near the base, with soft, slightly hairy leaf sheaths. The grass produces delicate awns 8 to 18 millimeters long that help its seeds disperse across open ground.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; small size, purple coloration when mature, and drooping inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 3400 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Fresno, San Bernardino, Kern, San Diego, Riverside, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Orange, Plumas, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Butte, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Glenn, Santa Barbara, Yolo, Nevada, Shasta, Colusa, Calaveras, Sutter, Stanislaus, Sonoma, Sacramento, Placer, Napa, Monterey, Alpine, San Luis Obispo, Tehama, Madera, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Sierra, Merced, San Benito, Del Norte, Alameda, Yuba, San Mateo
Outside California: North America, native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Bromus tectorum blooms May-Aug.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Nassella: Bromus has closed leaf sheaths and large spikelets; Nassella has open sheaths and needle-like awns.; vs Hordeum: Bromus has separate large spikelets; Hordeum has three spikelets grouped at each node.; vs Avena: Bromus lemmas have two teeth at tip; Avena lemmas have a twisted awn from the back.; vs Lolium: Bromus spikelets are stalked in clusters; Lolium spikelets sit edgewise against the stem.; vs Festuca: Bromus leaf sheaths are closed; Festuca sheaths split open halfway down.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bromus tectorum native to California?
No. Bromus tectorum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Bromus tectorum bloom?
Bromus tectorum blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Bromus tectorum grow?
Bromus tectorum occurs in Los Angeles, Fresno, San Bernardino, Kern, San Diego, Riverside, Humboldt, Imperial and other counties, at elevations of < 3400 m.
What plant family does Bromus tectorum belong to?
Bromus tectorum is in the Poaceae family, genus Bromus.
Is Bromus tectorum invasive in California?
Bromus tectorum is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Bromus vulgaris — Columbia brome
- Bromus arenarius — Australian chess
- Bromus arizonicus — Arizona brome
- Bromus arvensis — Field brome
- Bromus berteroanus — Chilean chess
- Bromus briziformis — Rattlesnake chess
- Calamagrostis bolanderi — Bolander's reed grass
- Calamagrostis breweri — Short hair reed grass
- Calamagrostis canadensis — Bluejoint reedgrass
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.