Skip to main content

Woodland brome

Bromus laevipes

Last reviewed: November 2026

Woodland brome (Bromus laevipes) is a perennial grass native to CA, NV, OR, WA. It blooms in May and June. The flowers draw wind pollinated.

Watering reminders and freeze alerts for Woodland brome, free in the app.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Woodland brome (Bromus laevipes)
Photo: Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase) / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Toxicity unknown

Woodland brome (Bromus laevipes) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part shade

Water

medium

Size

24"–40" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

May, Jun

Native to

CA, NV, OR, WA

Pollinators

wind pollinated

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 461 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Picture natives in your own yard

Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Woodland brome.

Woodland brome is a clumping perennial grass with soft, drooping leaf blades and open flower panicles that emerge in late spring. It grows in the shaded understory of woodlands.

Growing Woodland brome

Grow Woodland brome in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 24 to 40 inches tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide.

Get an email before your first frost

We'll email you a week before frost can first reach your ZIP. You also get a printable fall checklist with your dates right away.

You'll also get our weekly yard notes. Unsubscribe anytime.

Wildlife value

As a wind-pollinated grass it offers no nectar, but its foliage and seed heads provide food and cover for small birds and insects, including some grass-feeding skipper caterpillars.

Common questions

How much sun does Woodland brome need?
Woodland brome grows best in part shade conditions.
When does Woodland brome bloom?
Woodland brome blooms in May and June.
Where is Woodland brome native?
Woodland brome (Bromus laevipes) is native to CA, NV, OR, WA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Woodland brome attract?
Woodland brome draws wind pollinated.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Woodland brome? Add it to your garden in the Pollinator Patch App to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.