{"id":267,"date":"2026-02-11T22:03:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T22:03:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/?post_type=resource-cpt&#038;p=267"},"modified":"2026-02-27T23:49:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T23:49:11","slug":"cheat-grass","status":"publish","type":"resource-cpt","link":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/resource\/cheat-grass\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheat-Grass"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-block-pattern-longform-content is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-block-pattern-quick-facts has-gray-50-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Noxious Weed Facts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cheat-grass produces heavy seed loads (<strong>400+ lbs\/acre<\/strong>) and is <strong>very flammable<\/strong>, especially in disturbed areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seeds <strong>catch on clothes and in animal ears<\/strong>, and the seed heads <strong>blow around<\/strong>\u2014so disposal matters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use <strong>hand-pulling (spring\/fall)<\/strong>, <strong>targeted grazing<\/strong>, and\/or <strong>herbicides<\/strong>, then <strong>stick with follow-ups for 4\u20135+ years<\/strong> because seeds can persist in the soil.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Cheat-grass (cheatgrass), also known as downy brome, can invade grassland communities and displace native plants. It thrives in disturbed areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cheat-grass produces more than 400 lbs. of seeds per acre and is highly flammable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This plant can be controlled mechanically (hand pull during spring and fall), biologically (grazing), or chemically. Bag and dispose of all seed heads as they are dispersed by the wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Height ranges from 3-30&#8243; with drooping branches. Note the crooked seed head and small soft hairs covering entire body of plant. Leaves emerge dark green, often with hint of purple.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"252\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/02\/EXT-Nat-Cheatgrass-and-Wildfire-fig1.webp\" alt=\"Drawing of cheatgrass plant\" class=\"wp-image-554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/02\/EXT-Nat-Cheatgrass-and-Wildfire-fig1.webp 252w, https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/34\/2026\/02\/EXT-Nat-Cheatgrass-and-Wildfire-fig1.webp?resize=200,300 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<p>Diligence is the key to eradicating cheat-grass. Be persistent and continue follow-up treatments for 4-5 years or longer, because cheatgrass seeds may survive in soils that long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/contact\/\">Contact Gilpin County Extension<\/a><\/strong> for specific herbicide recommendations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-simple\"\/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional information<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-quicklink\"><a tabindex=\"0\" class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/resource\/cheatgrass-and-wildfire\/\"><strong>Cheatgrass and Wildfire | CSU Extension Fact Sheet<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Noxious Weed Facts Cheat-grass (cheatgrass), also known as downy brome, can invade grassland communities and displace native plants. It thrives in disturbed areas. Cheat-grass produces more than&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"area_tax":[],"county_tax":[127],"global-category_tax":[165,179],"global-offering_tax":[],"global-sub-category_tax":[287,325,360],"global-topic_tax":[375],"region_tax":[385],"resource-type_tax":[388],"class_list":["post-267","resource-cpt","type-resource-cpt","status-publish","hentry"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","pp_post_mime_type":"","acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-cpt\/267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-cpt"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource-cpt"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-cpt\/267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":648,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-cpt\/267\/revisions\/648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"area_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/area_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"county_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/county_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"global-category_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/global-category_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"global-offering_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/global-offering_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"global-sub-category_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/global-sub-category_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"global-topic_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/global-topic_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"region_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region_tax?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.colostate.edu\/gilpin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type_tax?post=267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}