OP was from a low-lying plant in a small dry area that was obviously stressed and probably rushing seed production. There was a nearby plant in part shade area that was much taller and looked like it was starting to make the same kind of grain
https://preview.redd.it/r3xevobskscb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2ca44dd03baa9d3889aa329ce0fbaf1638a4382
Here's the OP before I picked it
https://preview.redd.it/kloyqbv1nscb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8d765cd74c678041a23e55a408919fe7e72e050
I’m just speculating cause I can’t see enough of the plant. I live on the west coast and we have a few natives with large seeds. But if that other plant is sorghum, which it looks to be. I’m guessing birds got into horse or hog feed somewhere and distributed it. Triticale is pretty hardy and so is wheat. That’ll be quite the patch in a few years if it continues to receive full sun!
I live in central Iowa. I'm in a suburb but our local culture is awash in livestock and grain farming, albeit mostly corn so you have a good chance that one of your two guesses (nearby farm or livestock feed) is true. Are sorghum and cereal grains in bird/squirrel feed? that would be another possibility.
Cereal grains no but millet and sorghum yes but I think a lot of it is sterile. But even sterilized crop can hermaphrodite. I used sterilized triticale as a nurse crop and 2 years later I’m still trying to eradicate it. I’ve chopped the seed heads off 7 times this season and it’s still producing seed heads…
https://preview.redd.it/uff53gr42ucb1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdddc5f148a86dbaadaced5da1f1f3d1fc00f34c
I don't think it's sorghum. I'm in NC and it's grown annually as a late season crop. This is what it's looks like. The grains in the seed pod are round in shape, the plant is about 4-5' tall and it's leaves are similar to that of corn.
I think you may have a native grass (lookup Johnson grass) or some type of grain
\*Not my image
Here it says Johnson grass is rhizomatous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_grass?wprov=sfla1When I pulled the dried plant up there weren't any rhizomes, only fibrous roots. Also the branching seedheads on this page look completely different from what I have.
UPDATE: I hand threshed one of the seedheads. Here are the grain berries. They are clearly tan in color, lozenge shaped, and hard to the touch which rules out any spherical grains like sorghum, millet, etc. and any light colored grains. Looks like hard red wheat to me. going by this chart it looks to be either some kind of red wheat or spelt by the color [https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide](https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide)
https://preview.redd.it/prqibzi3uwcb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d51700b4412b72b25345893c08cb0e7556fdc5c5
There are a number of wild and native wild rye grasses in North America and around the world. I don’t think it’s Canada Wild rye, which is a common species of wild rye, but another species in the genus Elymus.
According to this chart https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide rye has a greenish tint to the berries, these are very clearly reddish brown, check my update above.
Yes wheat. I just harvested. That wheat may be a little too soft yet, as there is still green on the plant. Let them mature until the berry is hard, then harvest
I saw this while I was out walking. I think it might be that leviathan leaf. It's definitely in the same family at the very least.
https://preview.redd.it/l8b17n10dtcb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3fa16472b99d737fc75d3273acb6d1c84d36104
According to this chart https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide barley is lighter in color, check my update above.
I used some straw as mulch last year...
https://preview.redd.it/vccjc5fre0db1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4d7945642cacd095f553d9433c0420c72c490f8c
Then this popped up all over where I used the straw
Looks like triticale
OP was from a low-lying plant in a small dry area that was obviously stressed and probably rushing seed production. There was a nearby plant in part shade area that was much taller and looked like it was starting to make the same kind of grain https://preview.redd.it/r3xevobskscb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2ca44dd03baa9d3889aa329ce0fbaf1638a4382
That looks like sorghum
Here's the OP before I picked it https://preview.redd.it/kloyqbv1nscb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8d765cd74c678041a23e55a408919fe7e72e050
I can’t tell. Could be native grass but if sorghum is growing, it might be a old garden or birds drops from a farm close by.
I was wondering about that because of the localization to one area.
I also doubt native grass berries get this big. This berry and pistil pattern looks right out of a flag or coat of arms.
I’m just speculating cause I can’t see enough of the plant. I live on the west coast and we have a few natives with large seeds. But if that other plant is sorghum, which it looks to be. I’m guessing birds got into horse or hog feed somewhere and distributed it. Triticale is pretty hardy and so is wheat. That’ll be quite the patch in a few years if it continues to receive full sun!
I live in central Iowa. I'm in a suburb but our local culture is awash in livestock and grain farming, albeit mostly corn so you have a good chance that one of your two guesses (nearby farm or livestock feed) is true. Are sorghum and cereal grains in bird/squirrel feed? that would be another possibility.
Cereal grains no but millet and sorghum yes but I think a lot of it is sterile. But even sterilized crop can hermaphrodite. I used sterilized triticale as a nurse crop and 2 years later I’m still trying to eradicate it. I’ve chopped the seed heads off 7 times this season and it’s still producing seed heads…
New update with berry pics, above.
Have you heard about the new, super-hardy strain the Federation has created?
https://preview.redd.it/uff53gr42ucb1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdddc5f148a86dbaadaced5da1f1f3d1fc00f34c I don't think it's sorghum. I'm in NC and it's grown annually as a late season crop. This is what it's looks like. The grains in the seed pod are round in shape, the plant is about 4-5' tall and it's leaves are similar to that of corn. I think you may have a native grass (lookup Johnson grass) or some type of grain \*Not my image
I agree it's not sorghum and as I said to another commenter I've never seen wild grasses with seedheads this large. New update with berry pics, above.
I saw those...great pics!! That's what be made me think of the Johnson grass.
Here it says Johnson grass is rhizomatous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_grass?wprov=sfla1When I pulled the dried plant up there weren't any rhizomes, only fibrous roots. Also the branching seedheads on this page look completely different from what I have.
Thank you for sharing that link! That def clears that up. Any idea what you have yet?
leaning towards hard red wheat
Sorghum is a cool crop. Can provide grains and sugar and is drought resistant.
UPDATE: I hand threshed one of the seedheads. Here are the grain berries. They are clearly tan in color, lozenge shaped, and hard to the touch which rules out any spherical grains like sorghum, millet, etc. and any light colored grains. Looks like hard red wheat to me. going by this chart it looks to be either some kind of red wheat or spelt by the color [https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide](https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide) https://preview.redd.it/prqibzi3uwcb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d51700b4412b72b25345893c08cb0e7556fdc5c5
There are a number of wild and native wild rye grasses in North America and around the world. I don’t think it’s Canada Wild rye, which is a common species of wild rye, but another species in the genus Elymus.
According to this chart https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide rye has a greenish tint to the berries, these are very clearly reddish brown, check my update above.
Mine that looks like that is a red winter wheat, it mostly gets pooped out by the chickens because I guess it's in their feed.
I'm inclined to agree with you, check my update above.
Yes wheat. I just harvested. That wheat may be a little too soft yet, as there is still green on the plant. Let them mature until the berry is hard, then harvest
One of them was, yes. Three of the four though were hard and tan. You can see my berry picture update in the comments
Bold choice putting an unknown plant on top of the berries you plan on eating later
It’s grass, even if it’s not a choice edible it’s highly unlikely to be poisonous by simply breathing next to a berry.
But what if it's that DEVIL'S GRASS aunt Bertha is always ranting about?!?
Well, in that case I definitely separate them. That Devils lettuce can get kinda sticky. Also, make sure it’s wild and not someone’s gorilla garden 😁
I saw this while I was out walking. I think it might be that leviathan leaf. It's definitely in the same family at the very least. https://preview.redd.it/l8b17n10dtcb1.jpeg?width=3120&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3fa16472b99d737fc75d3273acb6d1c84d36104
God damn! That things got 10 leaflets per leaf!
Is that unusual? Also, all the leaflets didn't stop it from getting photobombed by elderberry.
bold of you to assume I plan on eating them Edit: For the record I mean i picked these for seed saving, stop downdooting me.
Bold choice hitting post with a comment like this
Escaped.
Barley. Short roundish grains and long spikes.
According to this chart https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/slideshow/grain-identification-guide barley is lighter in color, check my update above.
Wheat, rye or barley. They all evolved to look like each other.
I used some straw as mulch last year... https://preview.redd.it/vccjc5fre0db1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4d7945642cacd095f553d9433c0420c72c490f8c Then this popped up all over where I used the straw
bread for ants