Smooth Brome

Bromus inermis

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in fields, roadsides, clearings, other disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

-15

Harmful

Not native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: About 2.5 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

See native alternatives

No photograph yet. Looking for an old drawing…

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Arkansas.

Plant this instead

Your county

Choose your county to list local plants first.

Fox Sedge
Carex vulpinoidea
Sun: Full to part sun. Soil: Moist to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Bush's Sedge
Carex bushii
Sun: Partial shade, Full sun. Soil: Dry to moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Hop Sedge
Carex lupulina
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Moist to standing water. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Bloom: June to July
Fruiting season: Summer

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 3 Arkansas counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food. 23 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (30)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of Arkansas

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

15CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Bromus

Amblyscirtes vialisCommon Roadside-Skipper, Black Little Skipper
Anatrytone loganDelaware Skipper, Logan Skipper, Black-Vein Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitorLeast Skipper
Apamea sordensBordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot
Cercyonis pegalaCommon Wood Nymph
Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Hesperia leonardusLeonard's Skipper, Blazing Star Skipper, Pawnee Prairie Skipper, Pawnee Montane Skipper
Leucania multilineaMany-Lined Wainscot
Leucania phragmitidicolaNeedle Wainscot, Phragmites Wainscot

Show all 15

Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Polites corasPeck's Skipper, Yellow-Patch Skipper
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Elachista illectella
Gonioterma mistrella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

5BirdsRecorded eating Bromus in Arkansas

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes Arkansas, most records first.

Wild Turkey10 diet records
Field SparrowSeeds. 2 diet records
American Crow1 diet record
European Starling1 diet record
Greater White-fronted GooseLeaves. 1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Birds that eat Bromus 5

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
10 diet records
Field Sparrow
Spizella pusilla
Seeds. 2 diet records
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
1 diet record
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
1 diet record
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Leaves. 1 diet record

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Summer

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “June to July” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Spreads by rhizomes” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 2.5 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Awnless Brome

Conservation status

Arkansas rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
AR status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source