Its flat leaf blades are either glabrous or slightly hairy, and measure 4–20 cm (1.6–7.9 in) long and 1–5 mm (0.039–0.197 in) wide.

[2][3] The grass emerges in early winter and remains dormant until spring when heavy rainfall and higher temperatures stimulate growth.

Dry florets of the weed entangle themselves in animal hair and can tear at the digestive tracts of foraging livestock.

[4] Bromus madritensis is native to southern and western Europe but has been introduced and naturalized nearly worldwide.

In North America it is found primarily in the western United States, in Oregon, California, and Arizona.

In its native range the grass grows in cultivated fields and steppes, and in North America it grows in waste areas, road verges, and disturbed areas, in both ranges primarily on dry stony or sandy soil.