Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum
Broom corn millet, Broom Corn Millet
Stefan.lefnaer (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Not Native
Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum (Broom corn millet) is a non-native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by distinctive for very large spikelets (4.5-5.5 mm long).
Broom corn millet is a naturalized annual grass found in the California Floristic Province in disturbed areas, fields, and roadsides at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from February to November, this plant produces green to brown spikelets in dense, velvety panicles 10 to 40 centimeters long. Growing with erect stems 1 to 10 decimeters tall, it develops rough-hairy leaf sheaths and broad blades 10 to 20 centimeters long. Its leaves have distinctive velvety upper surfaces and ciliate ligules, with blades 6 to 25 millimeters wide. The spikelets are elliptic, measuring 4.5 to 5.5 millimeters long with lower glumes that are 5 to 7-veined and acute.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; distinctive for very large spikelets (4.5-5.5 mm long)
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, fields, roadsides
Elevation: < 1000 m
Outside California: to eastern United States, native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum blooms Feb-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Deschampsia: Panicum has thick rigid lemmas and well-developed lower glumes; hairgrass has thin awned florets and tiny glumes.; vs Dichanthelium: Panicum has a single flowering period; rosette grass produces two distinct flower types (spring and summer).; vs Hilaria: Panicum has single spikelets on branches; curly mesquite has spikelets in clusters of three along a spike.; vs Sorghum: Panicum has single spikelets throughout panicle; sorghum has three-spikelet groups at branch tips.; vs Echinochloa: Panicum has a membranous ligule and panicle; barnyard grass lacks a ligule and has bristly branches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum native to California?
No. Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum bloom?
Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum blooms Feb-Nov.
What plant family does Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum belong to?
Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum is in the Poaceae family, genus Panicum.
What habitat does Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum grow in?
Panicum miliaceum subsp. miliaceum grows in Disturbed areas, fields, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.