# yellow foxtail (*Setaria pumila*)

Yellow foxtail is a tall grass that grows in fields and gardens. It has fluffy yellow flower heads that look like little tails waving in the wind. This grass is fun to spot and can be found in many places!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![yellow foxtail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Setaria_pumila_20141024.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Adrián Pablo Rodríguez Quiroga, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Setaria_pumila_20141024.jpg)

## Appearance

The yellow foxtail is a common grass with distinctive, fuzzy, cylindrical seed heads that are typically yellowish-green, maturing to golden-brown. Its long, slender leaves have a prominent lighter midvein, and the plant often grows in upright clumps, making it stand out among other grasses.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- A single plant can produce up to 12,000 tiny seeds!
- Its seeds can survive buried in soil for more than 10 years!
- The 'bristles' on its seed head are actually sharp, tiny barbs!
- This plant is a wild relative of millet, a grain eaten by people!

## Special abilities

- **Seed Hitchhiker:** Yellow foxtail's bristly seed heads act like Velcro, clinging to fur or clothes to spread its seeds far and wide.
- **Tough Survivor:** This grass can grow in poor soils and hot, dry conditions, making it incredibly resilient in many environments.
- **Fast Spreader:** Yellow foxtail produces thousands of tiny seeds quickly, helping it rapidly colonize new open ground.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-15 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Mourning Dove](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mourning-dove) (*Zenaida macroura*) — Its seeds are a key food source for these birds.
- **Eaten by:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Rabbits browse on the tender leaves and stems of this grass.
- **Eaten by:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Mice gather and consume the energy-rich seeds.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [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.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always be careful when walking through tall grass; there might be bugs or prickly plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify yellow foxtail?

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 yellow foxtail?

20-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on yellow foxtail?

2-15 cm

### When does yellow foxtail bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is yellow foxtail edible?

Yes

### Is yellow foxtail toxic?

None

### What is yellow foxtail's lifecycle?

Annual

### How is yellow foxtail pollinated?

Wind

## Where to spot

- [Governors Island](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/governors-island) — New York, US · Natural Landmark

## 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: [Yellow Foxtail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-foxtail)