Rat's-tail Fescue

Vulpia myuros

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

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Not native

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

Profile 65%

Height: Culms are 3 to 18 inches tall, growing solitary or in small tufts [46,52,70,92,168,180,212].
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

Festuca myuros — seed photograph — Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 us · Original photograph

At a glance

Bloom: March to June

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 57 Virginia 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

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Festuca

Acrolophus popeanellaClemen's Grass Tubeworm
Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Apamea sordensBordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot
Atalopedes huronSachem
Chrysoteuchia topiariusCranberry Girder, Subterranean Webworm, Topiary Grass-Veneer
Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
Hesperia sassacusIndian Skipper
Pediasia trisectaSod Webworm Moth, Larger Sod Webworm
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm

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

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

6BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

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

Alectoris chukarChukar
Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove

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

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “March to June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Height · “Culms are 3 to 18 inches (8-46 cm) tall, growing solitary or in small tufts [46,52,70,92,168,180,212].” · Fire Effects Information System: Vulpia myuros · Source botanical description; original units and scope retained
Light · “Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Rat Tail Fescue; Rat's tail Fescue; Vulpia myuros

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

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