# Wheat (*Triticum*)

Wheat is a tall grass that grows in fields and is harvested for food! It’s an important plant for making bread and other yummy treats.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Farms and fields
- **Also known as:** Common Wheat

![Wheat](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425778/objects/5019.jpg)

## Appearance

The Wheat has slender, upright stems that ripen from green to a distinct golden-brown color. Its long, narrow leaves are topped by a dense seed head, called a spike, often adorned with bristly awns, which makes it look like a bristly brush.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Poaceae
- **Genus:** Triticum

## Interesting facts

- Durum wheat is extra hard, making it the perfect kind for yummy pastas and couscous!
- Just one small kernel of wheat can be ground into enough flour to make over 9,000 tiny pieces of pasta!
- The tallest wheat plant ever recorded grew over 7 feet tall, standing like a giant grass stalk!
- Wheat was first farmed over 10,000 years ago, helping early humans settle down and build towns!

## Special abilities

- **Wind Whispers:** Wheat has tiny, feathery stigmas that efficiently catch pollen carried by the wind, ensuring reproduction without needing insects.
- **Global Grow-Anywhere:** Wheat can thrive in a vast range of climates and soils, allowing it to be grown almost anywhere on Earth.
- **Self-Seeding Success:** Many wheat varieties can self-pollinate, guaranteeing a reliable harvest of seeds even if no other wheat plants are nearby.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-120 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring_early_summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — major food source worldwide
- **Eats:** [Brown Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-rat) (*Rattus norvegicus*) — eats stored grains and plants
- **Eats:** Granary Weevil (*Sitophilus granarius*) — larvae and adults consume stored grains
- **Parasitizes:** Wheat Stem Rust (*Puccinia graminis*) — fungus causes devastating disease

## Traits

- [Grain Crop](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grain-crop): This human use trait denotes species cultivated as grain crops, harvested for their edible dry seeds (grains), which are a staple food source.
- [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

## Collections

- [Grasses](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/grasses)
- [Grasses, Shrubs & Bushes](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/grasses-shrubs-and-bushes)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Explore with care and ask an adult if you’re unsure what to do.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Wheat?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Wheat?

60-120 cm

### When does Wheat bloom?

Spring_early_summer

### Is Wheat edible?

Yes

### Is Wheat toxic?

None

### What is Wheat's lifecycle?

Annual

### How is Wheat pollinated?

Wind

### Where is Wheat usually found?

Farms and fields

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Wheat: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wheat)