Rescue Grass

Bromus catharticus

Found in cultivated fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

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

Profile 82%

Height: About 3 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to wet

See native alternatives

Bromus catharticus — fruit photograph — Forest & Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 · Original photograph

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Ravenfoot Sedge
Carex crus-corvi
Sun: Part to full shade. Soil: Average to moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Hop Sedge
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Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Moist to standing water. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
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Sun: Full to part sun. Soil: Average to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Bloom: March to July
Fruiting season: Spring

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 38 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

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

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

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

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

9CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Bromus

Amblyscirtes vialisCommon Roadside-Skipper, Black Little Skipper
Anatrytone loganDelaware Skipper, Logan Skipper, Black-Vein Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitorLeast Skipper
Cercyonis pegalaCommon Wood Nymph
Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Leucania phragmitidicolaNeedle Wainscot, Phragmites Wainscot
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Gonioterma mistrella

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

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

11BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Bromus

Alectoris chukarChukar
Anser albifronsGreater White-fronted Goose
Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Corvus brachyrhynchosAmerican Crow
Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
Perdix perdixGray Partridge
Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling

Show all 11

Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Spring
Fruit ends: Spring

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “March to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (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 · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 3 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

Florida rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source