Bromus rubens seeds

Red Brome (Bromus rubens) is an annual grass native to the south, which tolerates both the rigours of summer drought and winter cold. It is ornamental due to its panicles of purple-red spikelets. It will look great in a naturalistic garden with its airy habit and supple inflorescences. Perfect for giving countryside character to rustic landscapes, it is well suited to rewilding projects. However, be aware that in very favourable conditions, this plant can quickly take over: careful consideration of sowing rates therefore remains essential.

Brome belongs to the vast family of Poaceae, formerly known as Gramineae, which includes around 12,000 species, encompassing wild plants, cultivated crops (mainly cereals such as wheat) and ornamental plants, such as decorative ornamental grasses and the large group of Bamboos, whose architectural qualities are highly prized in gardens. Red Brome, also known as Anisanthe rougie, is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and has become naturalised in Australia, South Africa and North America, where it has proved invasive. It grows particularly in dry lawns, along paths, in fallow land, but also in cereal crops. This plant is perfectly adapted to the drying conditions of the south, as well as to clayey to moderately stony soils, preferably with a high pH. While it tolerates sandy soils poor in organic matter, it does not, however, tolerate salinity. This species needs full sun and loves warmth, but its seeds or seedlings withstand cold winters, which means it can be sown outside the south.
It is an annual, completing its entire vegetative cycle in a single year. It develops fine, smooth or slightly hairy stems, reaching 20 to 60cm in height. It produces several stems per plant, adopting an upright to slightly spreading habit, often in loose tufts. The leaves have narrow blades, flat or slightly rolled. Sometimes barely glaucous at the start of the cycle, they are then light green to medium green, becoming dull as flowering approaches, then yellowing at the end of their life before drying out. The reddish colour suggested by the species name applies not to the leaves but to the inflorescences, where it appears on the awns, and especially on the spikelets (at maturity, as they are green when they first appear). The inflorescences measure 5cm long and up to 8-10cm, and bloom mainly in May-June, or even July. The plant is wind-pollinated. Elongated grains with longitudinal furrows ripen in summer and are dispersed mainly by the wind. Animals, particularly dogs, can also disperse the spikelets, which easily cling to their fur. The plant readily self-seeds when conditions suit it.

Bromus rubens finds its place in flowering meadows, ecological fallows or restoration projects for degraded land. Its graceful habit pairs harmoniously with other grasses, such as Quaking grasses (Briza) in soils that are not too dry. To add touches of colour while keeping a countryside spirit, sow it alongside seeds of Wild Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), with its deep blue flowers evocative of bygone harvests, and brilliant red Wild Poppy .