Plant DetailShow Menu

Lolium multiflorum is often confused with:
Festuca rubra Form in May in Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Lolium perenne Fine-textured grass with upright, narrow inflorescences.
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Lamium amplexicaule Close up of 2-lipped tubular purple flowers
Lolium perenne Fine-textured grass with upright, narrow inflorescences.
Vicia sativa seed pod, Union County, NC
Lolium multiflorum has some common insect problems:
Wireworms in Turf
Green June Beetles in Turfgrass
Lolium multiflorum has some common disease problems:
Gray Snow Mold in Turf

Rye Grass Lolium multiflorum

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
LOW-lee-um mul-tih-FLOR-um
Description

Annual ryegrass is a winter annual or biennial weed in the grass family native to Europe. It is found in all areas of NC.

Annual ryegrass should be used as turfgrass only when a temporary turf cover is needed in the winter. It is never recommended for permanent lawn mixtures because it dies in late spring when temperatures approach 80ºF or higher. It is sometimes found in inexpensive commercial seed mixtures, and those should be avoided. It is a weed in tall fescue lawns. Because annual ryegrass is an annual, it must be reseeded each fall. Annual ryegrass has been used by some homeowners to overseed bermudagrass lawns to provide winter color. It is never recommended for overseeding other warm-season grasses.

Annual ryegrass is also used in farming as a cover crop and for silage. It can become invasive in temperate climates in agricultural areas and in native habitats.

It grows 2 to 3 feet tall with numerous long, narrow, stiff leaves near the base of the plant. Both surfaces of the leaves are bright, glossy, and smooth. A flowering spike, 6 to 10 inches long, forms with alternate spikelets. Blooming can occur spring to fall. Upon maturity, each fertile floret is replaced by an elongated grain.

It prefers rich, moist soils in areas with mild climates but is adaptable to other soils. It does not survive harsh winters or hot dry summers.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#winter annual weed#cool season grass#annual grass#cool season weed#cover crop#turfgrass#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#winter annual weed#cool season grass#annual grass#cool season weed#cover crop#turfgrass#weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Lolium
    Species:
    multiflorum
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Biennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Europe
    Distribution:
    Throughout USA and worldwide.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Turfgrass
    Weed
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Panicle
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Winter
    Flower Size:
    3-6 inches
    Flower Description:
    Spike with spikelets.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    2-3 feet long narrow shiny green leaves are sharp-pointed, with a bright green, dull upper surface, deeply ridged, lower surface smooth, glossy and slightly creased, with smooth edges.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Foot Traffic
    Problems:
    Weedy