Poa annua
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Poa annua var. aquatica
- Poa annua var. reptans
- Phonetic Spelling
- POH-ah AN-yoo-uh
- Description
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Annual bluegrass, in the family Poaceae, is a winter annual, clump-forming grass with a yellow-green color, prow-shaped leaf tips, and a distinctive whitish flower head. It is primarily a weed of lawns and turfgrass. Preferring moist, shady areas, it emerges from fall through spring, flowers, and then dies with the onset of warm weather. Annual bluegrass is a prolific seed producer but is well managed by most preemergence herbicides labeled for use.
It can be a difficult weed to control, as each plant produces several hundred seeds in a season that can lay dormant years before sprouting.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Poa
- Species:
- annua L.
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- P. annua is native to temperate areas of Eurasia.
- Distribution:
- P. annua is a cosmopolitan grass that is listed as one of the most aggressive weeds invading areas from sea level up to 1200 m in elevation. It can be found from the Arctic to the Antarctic regions in practically all terrestrial ecosystems. It is listed as a weed in 38 crops in more than 80 countries within and outside its native distribution range. It grows in a wide variety of soils, tolerates trampling, mowing, and frozen conditions, and is a frequent weed in areas heavily trafficked by livestock or humans. This species has the potential to outcompete other plants and crops. The list of countries in which this species now occurs may not be complete, as P. annua has spread to almost all areas of the world where temperate and subtropical crops are grown, and to some relatively undisturbed habitats.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The spikelets are stalked, awnless, 1 to 2 cm (3/8 to 3/4 in.) long when flowering, and loosely arranged on delicate paired or spreading branches.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are flat, slightly keeled with characteristic 'tramlines'. The leaves are smooth and abruptly contracted at the apices to give a characteristic 'boat-shaped tip'. A further characteristic is that the leaves are often transversely wrinkled. The leaves are folded in the sheath which is smooth and somewhat compressed. Screen reader support enabled.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Weedy
