Plant DetailShow Menu

Poa pratensis is often confused with:
Poa annua Poa annua L.
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Cynodon Tifway Bermuda Lawn
Lolium arundinaceum Form in bloom (Highland Park, Greensboro, NC)-Late Spring
Lolium perenne Fine-textured grass with upright, narrow inflorescences.
Poa pratensis has some common insect problems:
Wireworms in Turf
Green June Beetles in Turfgrass
Poa pratensis has some common disease problems:
Summer Patch in Turf
Gray Snow Mold in Turf

Kentucky Bluegrass Poa pratensis

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
POH-ah pray-TEN-sis
Description

A member of the grass family (Poaceae), Kentucky bluegrass is a perennial cool-season grass and one of the world's most popular turfgrasses. It is native to the Northern Hemisphere. The genus name is derived from the Greek word poa, a pasture grass. The species epithet, pratensis, means "inhabiting meadows."

It needs full sun in the spring and fall but will require afternoon shade in hot southern summers. In the Piedmont, it is often combined with Tall fescue in turfgrass mixtures. It prefers fertile, well drained soils and is quick to recover from stress.

For more information, please refer to the NC State Extension TurfFiles entry for Kentucky Bluegrass.

Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: Very prone to Summer Patch disease.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#cool season grass#turfgrass#lawn planting#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#cool season grass#turfgrass#lawn planting#weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Poa
    Species:
    pratensis
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Northern Hemisphere
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 4 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
    Turfgrass
    Habit/Form:
    Dense
    Erect
    Maintenance:
    High
    Medium
    Texture:
    Fine
  • 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 pH:
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Caryopsis
  • Flowers:
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spike
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Hairs Present:
    No
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Foot Traffic
    Problems:
    Weedy