Barley Exotic

Exotic is a decorative Hordeum jubatum (barley), belonging to the grass family. It is a perennial root plant, grown as an annual in the middle belt. Barley forms dense tufted clumps up to 40–60 cm high, consisting of narrow, thin, silky basal leaves up to 3 mm wide. The upright stems are topped with drooping long-branched spikes with bristle-like awns up to 8 cm long, which radiate in a fan shape from the base of the spike-like inflorescence, creating an eye-catching decorative appearance. The plant is characterized by its hardiness and frost resistance, making it suitable for various landscape compositions. Exotic is often planted in mixed borders, alpine rock gardens, and lawn areas. It is especially decorative during flowering, which occurs in June. Barley is propagated by seeds, facilitating its cultivation and propagation. The stems are smooth and slender, 15–50 cm tall, with dense leaf blades 3–8 cm long, widening toward the apex and having fragile bases. Flowers are arranged in threes in spikes, with the central flower sessile and the lateral ones on short pedicels, often underdeveloped. Spikelet glumes are hairy, 3–7.5 cm long, with a woolly and often purple awn. Anthers are 1.2–1.6 mm long, a characteristic morphological feature of this species.