Core Ideas The study evaluated seven cool‐season crops for their forage yield and quality in the Blacklands and Rolling Plains of Texas. There was significant interaction of crop species and environment on forage yield and quality. Triticale has wide range of adaptability in both the Blacklands and Rolling Plains ecoregions. Site‐specific recommendation of best adapted forage crop species would help the producers achieve higher forage productivity and profitability. Selection of suitable cool‐season crop species for winter forage production is a critical management decision in many ecoregions of the United States, including Texas. A study was conducted during 2004 to 2007 in the Blacklands and Rolling Plains ecoregions of Texas using seven cool‐season crops to determine the site‐specific crop choice to maximize forage yield and nutritive value. The seven crop species tested in these two ecoregions included: barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), hard red wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), soft red wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack). The results indicated that crop choice for maximizing the forage yield and nutritive value varied with environment. In the Blacklands, oat and triticale produced greater forage yields than other crop species (P < 0.05). In the Rolling Plains, ryegrass yielded more forage during years of above‐average precipitation, whereas rye and triticale produced more forage during drier years. Seasonal forage yield distribution varied among different site‐years of the Blacklands and Rolling Plains ecoregions. Triticale was demonstrated to be the crop that performed most consistently at both ecoregions of Texas. Rye and barley had greater nutritive value and mineral composition in the Blacklands, whereas ryegrass had greater mineral composition in the Rolling Plains (P < 0.05). Given this information, producers in the Blacklands and Rolling Plains ecoregions can make informed decisions on selection of suitable forage crops to be grown on their farms to achieve greater forage yield and nutritive value, and to match up their specific management and livestock requirements.