Can wheat have long awns like barley?

Yes. Awns occur in wheat, while some barley forms are awnless or hooded. Use several identification features.

They are appendages at the leaf collar. Their shape and hairiness help distinguish cereal crops when used with other traits.

Is all barley suitable for malting?

No. Malting buyers specify accepted varieties and grain-quality requirements. Confirm an outlet before growing for that market.

Are wheat and barley always spring crops?

No. Both have spring and winter forms. Choose the growth habit and cultivar for the local production system.

Can variety-trial averages prove which crop will earn more?

Not by themselves. Trial conditions may differ, and net returns also depend on market quality, costs and buyer prices.

Wheat vs barley: identification, uses and crop choices

Wheat and barley are cereal grains with different botanical and market identities. Long awns alone do not reliably distinguish them. Check the leaf collar and head structure, then identify the cultivar, spring or winter growth habit, and intended buyer before making a production comparison.

Scope: Common bread wheat and cultivated barley, with cereal inspection and Minnesota grain-quality guidance. Updated 2026-10-16.

At a glance

Species: Bread wheat: Triticum aestivum. Cultivated barley: Hordeum vulgare.¹
Identification: Compare auricles and head structure; awns alone are insufficient.^1,2
End use: Buyer requirements differ across flour, feed, food and malt markets.³

Look beyond the awns

Identification features for wheat and barley
Feature	Wheat	Barley
Leaf-collar auricles	Usually shorter and hairy, clasping the stem	Usually long and smooth, clasping the stem
Awns	Awned and awnless cultivars exist	Awned, awnless and hooded forms exist
Head types	Identify the wheat species and cultivar	Two-row and six-row types
Growth habit	Spring and winter types	Spring and winter types

Sources^1,2

Use a close view: Inspect the collar where a leaf blade meets its sheath. Combine that observation with the head and seed record. A distant field silhouette or the presence of a “beard” is not enough to make a reliable species or variety decision.^1,2

Start with the intended grain market

Wheat is not one quality class: Bread wheat and durum are different crops, and wheat classes serve different flour uses. Confirm the buyer’s required class and grain quality before selecting a cultivar or assuming that a protein result has the same value in every market.^1,3
Barley can serve feed, food or malt: A malting destination brings requirements beyond simply producing barley. Accepted variety, germination, protein, kernel condition and contamination affect suitability. Obtain the current buyer specification rather than treating feed and malt as interchangeable outlets.³

Match growth habit to the field system

Specify spring or winter production: Both crops have spring and winter forms. Use local variety guidance to match establishment timing, winter survival and harvest to the farm. Do not select a crop from an unlabeled “days to maturity” figure that omits cultivar and growing conditions.¹
Ask what would limit saleable grain: Review field drainage, rotation, crop history, disease management, harvest capacity and storage. A potential yield advantage is not useful if the grain misses the intended market specification or cannot be harvested in suitable condition.³

Compare local evidence on a consistent basis

Do not rank unrelated trial averages: Minnesota Extension cautions that its small-grain variety trials are not designed to compare species, because locations or management can differ. Use those trials to compare adapted varieties within the relevant crop and system, not to declare wheat or barley universally superior.⁴
Build the market into the budget: Use local saleable yield, a realistic buyer price, quality discounts, seed and input costs, harvesting, drying, storage and land costs. State what happens if the intended quality grade is not achieved. Compare both options for the same field and season before choosing acreage.

Frequently asked questions

Can wheat have long awns like barley?: Yes. Awns occur in wheat, while some barley forms are awnless or hooded. Use several identification features.
What are auricles?: They are appendages at the leaf collar. Their shape and hairiness help distinguish cereal crops when used with other traits.
Is all barley suitable for malting?: No. Malting buyers specify accepted varieties and grain-quality requirements. Confirm an outlet before growing for that market.
Are wheat and barley always spring crops?: No. Both have spring and winter forms. Choose the growth habit and cultivar for the local production system.
Can variety-trial averages prove which crop will earn more?: Not by themselves. Trial conditions may differ, and net returns also depend on market quality, costs and buyer prices.

Regional guides and field planning

Estimate your margin Run a field audit

Sources and image credits

1. Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Cereal crop inspection procedures — Accessed October 16, 2026. Wheat and barley species, growth habits and identification.
2. USDA NRCS Colorado: Cereal identification note — 2013. Auricle, leaf and head identification.
3. University of Minnesota Extension: Understanding grain quality — Accessed October 16, 2026. End-use quality and grain-market distinctions.
4. University of Minnesota Extension: Crop and variety selection — Accessed October 16, 2026. Use and limitations of small-grain variety trials.

Figures are published averages or study assumptions for the places named, not guarantees for your field. Check current local recommendations and product labels before acting.