Trails Across The Prairies
Not A Native
While roaming through my favorite grasslands southeast of Calgary with my bow, I've noticed the odd patch of Crested Wheatgrass like the one pictured above growing in amongst the natural grass of the area. Growing up in southern Saskatchewan, I remember Crested Wheatgrass being used to return farmland to grass.
Since the 1930s Crested wheatgrass that finds its origins in the desert regions of Siberia has saved thousands of acres of abandoned farmland and eroded areas from blowing away. Crested wheatgrass was selected and bred for productivity, seed production, easy establishment and adaptation to local conditions. Perhaps the adaptability and competitiveness of crested wheatgrass is best illustrated by fields that have remained productive with minimal invasion by other plants over several decades.
The same characteristics that have made crested wheatgrass so desirable have also allowed it to invade native habitats and out-compete native species. I have been noticing more and more crested wheatgrass growing in this area of natural grass, and that's the problem of growing invasive species.
Expand the photo for a closer look.....
