Leaf appearance in small cereals is the result of leaf primordium initiation and leaf primordium extension. Final leaf number (FLN) on main stem is determined by the number of primordia initiated up to the beginning of floral transition. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of growing season and cultivar on FLN in winter barley. Twelve cultivars differing in origin and time of anthesis (early, medium and late) were tested during six growing seasons (GS), from 2002/03 to 2007/08. FLN across cultivars and GSs was 13.5. The highest FLN across GSs was in the late, six-rowed barley cultivar Kredit (14.7) and the lowest in the early, two-rowed barley cultivar Novosadski 581 (11.3). In regard to earliness, the lowest FLN was in the early groups of cultivars (12.9) and the highest in the late ones (13.9). The tested cultivars showed significant variability in FLN, which can be used for selecting most adaptable genotypes for specific growing conditions.