Italian Ryegrass, also known as annual ryegrass, is a herbaceous plant native to central and southern Europe, northeast Africa, and southwest Asia. It is hardy and not frost-tender, making it a good green manure crop that can be sown in autumn or spring and is often combined with clover. It is also grown as an ornamental grass. Italian Ryegrass can become a noxious weed in agricultural areas and an invasive species in native habitats. It is a host plant to wheat yellow leaf virus in its native Europe. In the US, Italian Ryegrass is sometimes used as a winter cover crop to prevent erosion, build soil structure and suppress weeds. As a palatable forage crop, it can be grazed by livestock and provide food in years when alfalfa suffers from winter kill.