Poa pratensis

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Kentucky bluegrass
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"Kentucky bluegrass" redirects here. For the region of the state of Kentucky, see Bluegrass region. For the genre of music, see Bluegrass music.

Poa pratensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Poa
Species:
P. pratensis
Binomial name
Poa pratensis

Poa pratensis, commonly known as Kentucky bluegrass (or blue grass), smooth meadow-grass, or common meadow-grass, is a

exotic plant, and is indicative of a disturbed and degraded landscape.[2][3]

Taxonomy

Poa pratensis was one of the many species described by

Greek for fodder and pratensis is derived from pratum, the Latin for meadow. The name Kentucky bluegrass derives from its flower heads, which are blue when the plant is allowed to grow to its natural height of 60 to 90 cm (2 to 3 feet).[4]

Poa pratensis is the

type species of the grass family Poaceae
.

There are two ill-defined subspecies:

  • Poa pratensis subsp. pratensis – temperate regions
  • Poa pratensis subsp. colpodea – Arctic

Description

Poa pratensis is a

florets, and are purplish-green or grey. They are in flower from May to July, compared to annual meadowgrass (Poa annua
) which is in flower for eight months of the year. Poa pratensis has a fairly prominent mid-vein (center of the blade).

The ligule is extremely short and square-ended, making a contrast with annual meadowgrass (Poa annua) and rough meadowgrass (Poa trivialis) in which it is silvery and pointed. The Kentucky bluegrass is a dark green/blue compared to the apple-green color of Poa annua and Poa trivialis.

The rootstock is creeping, with runners (rhizomes). The broad, blunt leaves tend to spread at the base, forming close mats.

Ecology

Myrmus miriformis in Přerov, Czech Republic

Poa pratensis is among the food plants of the caterpillars of the

pepper-and-salt skipper butterflies; the common sun beetle (Amara aenea) (adults feed on the developing seeds), Eupelix cuspidata of the leafhopper family, and Myrmus miriformis, a grassbug (feeds on young blades and developing seeds).[5]

Poa pratensis is host to a number of

Stagonospora nodorum and Wojnowicia hirta.[6]

Cultivation and production

The Central Kentucky Blue Grass Seed Company Building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Since the 1950s and early 1960s, 90% of Kentucky bluegrass seed in the United States has been produced on specialist farms in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

During the 1990s[citation needed] botanists began experimenting with hybrids of Poa pratensis and Texas bluegrass (P. arachnifera), with the goal of creating a drought and heat-resistant lawn grass. In warm climates, such hybrids may remain green year-round.[7]

Bella Bluegrass is a brand-named dwarf variant of Poa pratentis developed by the

mowing lawns that use it. It cannot be reproduced by seed and thus depends on sod plugs or sprigging for its production.[8]

NFL playing surfaces[9]

MLB playing surfaces[10]

Gallery

  • Closeup of flowers
    Closeup of flowers

References

  1. ^ Martin Anderson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service. "Kentucky Bluegrass". Aggie Horticulture.
  2. ^ Ksenija Vujnovic; Ross W. Wein (September 1997). "An Inventory of Remnant Prairie Grasslands Within the Central Parkland Natural Sub-Region of Alberta" (PDF): 5. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ "There Are More Than a Dozen Types of Grass — Here's How to Know Which One You Have". Popular Mechanics. 2022-03-15. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  4. ^ Ryen, Dag (June 3, 1993). "What Makes Kentucky's Bluegrass Blue". The New York Times. p. 22. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  5. ^ Natural England description on website Archived 2009-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Helgi Hallgrímsson & Guðríður Gyða Eyjólfsdóttir (2004). Íslenskt sveppatal I - smásveppir [Checklist of Icelandic Fungi I - Microfungi. Fjölrit Náttúrufræðistofnunar. Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands [Icelandic Institute of Natural History]. ISSN 1027-832X
  7. Kansas State University Research and Extension
    . 2004-11-04. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  8. ^ Grant, Bonnie L. (15 February 2023). "What Is Bella Grass: Information On No Mow Bella Turf Grass". Gardening Know-How. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  9. ^ Abdalazem, Reem; Roche, Calum (September 14, 2023) [2023-09-09]. "What NFL stadiums have real grass and which ones have artificial turf? The full list". en.as.com. as. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  10. ^ Butler, Sara (June 17, 2022). "All about the turf grass at your favorite MLB ballpark". lawnlove.com. Lawn Love. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.

Further reading

External links

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