Arrhenatherum elatius is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, commonly known as false oat-grass,[1] and also bulbous oat grass (subsp. bulbosum), tall oat-grass, tall meadow oat, onion couch and tuber oat-grass. It is native throughout Europe (including Iceland), and also western and southwestern Asia (south to Jordan and Iran), and northwestern Africa (Morocco to Tunisia).[2] This tufted grass[1] is sometimes used as an ornamental grass and is sometimes marketed as "cat grass".
Outside of its native range it can be found elsewhere as an introduced species.[2] It is found especially in prairies, at the side of roads and in uncultivated fields. The bulbous subspecies can be a weed of arable land. It is palatable grass for livestock and is used both as forage (pasture) and fodder (hay and silage).
This coarse grass can grow to 1.8abbr=onNaNabbr=on tall.[3] The leaves are NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on wide, bright green, broad, slightly hairy, and rough. The ligule is NaNabbr=onNaNabbr=on long and smooth edged.[3] The panicle is up to 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on, and the bunched spikelets have projecting and angled awns up to 17abbr=onNaNabbr=on long, green or purplish. The panicles often remain into winter.[4] The spikelets are oblong or gaping. It flowers from June to September. The roots are yellow.[5]
Four subspecies are currently accepted by Kew's Plants of the World:[2]
Arrhenatherum elatius is a principal species in two UK National Vegetation Classification habitat communities: the very widespread MG1 (Arrhenatherum elatius grassland) and the much rarer MG2 (Arrhenatherum elatius - Filipendula ulmaria tall-herb grassland). This means that it can be found with species such as Dactylis glomerata (also known as cock's-foot and orchard grass), and Filipendula ulmaria (also known as meadow-sweet).
It is found on road verges, along hedges and riverbanks.
It can colonise and stabilise limestone scree, bare calcareous cliffs, maritime shingle and coastal dunes.