"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, commonly known as Kentucky bluegrass (or blue grass), smooth meadow-grass, or common meadow-grass, is a perennial species of grass native to practically all of Europe, North Asia and the mountains of Algeria and Morocco. Although the species is spread over all of the cool, humid parts of the United States, it is not native to North America. The Spanish Empire brought the seeds of Kentucky bluegrass to the New World in mixtures with other grasses.[1] In its native range, Poa pratensis forms a valuable pasture plant, characteristic of well-drained, fertile soil. It is also used for making lawns in parks and gardens and has established itself as a common invasive weed across cool moist temperate climates like the Pacific Northwest and the Northeastern United States. When found on native grasslands in Canada, for example, it is considered an unwelcome exotic plant, and is indicative of a disturbed and degraded landscape.[2]
Poa pratensis was one of the many species described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark work Species Plantarum in 1753. Poa is 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).[3]
Poa pratensis subsp. pratensis – temperate regions
Poa pratensis subsp. colpodea – Arctic
Description
Poa pratensis is a herbaceous perennial plant 30–70 centimetres (12–28 in) tall. The leaves have boat-shaped tips, narrowly linear, up to 20 centimetres (8 in) long and 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) broad, smooth or slightly roughened, with a rounded to truncate ligule 1–2 millimetres (0.039–0.079 in) long. The conical panicle is 5–20 centimetres (2–8 in) long, with 3 to 5 branches in the basal whorls; the oval spikelets are 3–6 millimetres (0.12–0.24 in) long with 2 to 5 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.
Poa pratensis is among the food plants of the caterpillars of the meadow brown (Maniola jurtina), gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), and 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).[4]
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, hybrids may remain green year-round.[6]
^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)
^Ryen, Dag (June 3, 1993). "What Makes Kentucky's Bluegrass Blue". The New York Times. p. 22. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
^Natural England description on website 2009-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
^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
^Eckert, Nora and Kostka, Andy. "Orioles, Ravens groundskeepers challenged by climate change," Capital News Service, Tuesday, October 29, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
Further reading
Flora Europaea: Poa pratensis
European Poa Database
Horticultural information on this turfgrass; growing it in the home garden * The Observers Book of Grasses, Sedges and Rushes. Frances Rose. pages 42–43
PennState Extension Kentucky Bluegrass Facts and Identification
Kew gardens grass database
External links
Media related to poa pratensis (category) at Wikimedia Commons
January 07, 2023
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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 commonly known as Kentucky bluegrass or blue grass smooth meadow grass or common meadow grass is a perennial species of grass native to practically all of Europe North Asia and the mountains of Algeria and Morocco Although the species is spread over all of the cool humid parts of the United States it is not native to North America The Spanish Empire brought the seeds of Kentucky bluegrass to the New World in mixtures with other grasses 1 In its native range Poa pratensis forms a valuable pasture plant characteristic of well drained fertile soil It is also used for making lawns in parks and gardens and has established itself as a common invasive weed across cool moist temperate climates like the Pacific Northwest and the Northeastern United States When found on native grasslands in Canada for example it is considered an unwelcome exotic plant and is indicative of a disturbed and degraded landscape 2 Poa pratensisScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsClade CommelinidsOrder PoalesFamily PoaceaeSubfamily PooideaeGenus PoaSpecies P pratensisBinomial namePoa pratensisL Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Ecology 4 Cultivation and production 5 NFL playing surfaces 6 MLB playing surfaces 7 Gallery 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksTaxonomy EditPoa pratensis was one of the many species described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark work Species Plantarum in 1753 Poa is 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 3 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 ArcticDescription EditPoa pratensis is a herbaceous perennial plant 30 70 centimetres 12 28 in tall The leaves have boat shaped tips narrowly linear up to 20 centimetres 8 in long and 3 5 millimetres 0 12 0 20 in broad smooth or slightly roughened with a rounded to truncate ligule 1 2 millimetres 0 039 0 079 in long The conical panicle is 5 20 centimetres 2 8 in long with 3 to 5 branches in the basal whorls the oval spikelets are 3 6 millimetres 0 12 0 24 in long with 2 to 5 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 Edit Myrmus miriformis in the Olomouc Region Poa pratensis is among the food plants of the caterpillars of the meadow brown Maniola jurtina gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus and 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 4 Poa pratensis is host to a number of fungi including Claviceps purpurea which causes ergotism when consumed Drechslera poae Epichloe typhina Phaeoseptoria poae Puccinia brachypodii var poae nemoralis Stagonospora montagnei Stagonospora nodorum and Wojnowicia hirta 5 Cultivation and production EditSince 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 hybrids may remain green year round 6 NFL playing surfaces EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Lambeau Field in Green Bay WI FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Ohio Empower Field at Mile High in Denver Colorado Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaMLB playing surfaces EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore MD 7 Fenway Park in Boston MA American Family Field in Milwaukee WI Yankee Stadium in Bronx NY Citi Field in Queens NY Busch Stadium in St Louis MO Nationals Park in Washington D C PNC Park in Pittsburgh PA Wrigley Field in Chicago IL Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago IL Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia PA Comerica Park in Detroit MI Progressive Field in Cleveland OH Target Field in Minneapolis MN Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City MO Kentucky Bluegrass Perennial Ryegrass Blend Coors Field in Denver CO Kentucky Bluegrass Perennial Ryegrass Blend T Mobile Park in Seattle WA Kentucky Bluegrass Perennial Ryegrass Blend Gallery Edit Closeup of flowers References Edit Martin Anderson Texas AgriLife Extension Service Kentucky Bluegrass Aggie Horticulture Ksenija Vujnovic Ross W Wein September 1997 An Inventory of Remnant Prairie Grasslands Within the Central Parkland Natural Sub Region of Alberta PDF 5 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Ryen Dag June 3 1993 What Makes Kentucky s Bluegrass Blue The New York Times p 22 Retrieved 2018 06 15 Natural England description on website Archived 2009 02 23 at the Wayback Machine Helgi Hallgrimsson amp Gudridur Gyda Eyjolfsdottir 2004 Islenskt sveppatal I smasveppir Checklist of Icelandic Fungi I Microfungi Fjolrit Natturufraedistofnunar Natturufraedistofnun Islands Icelandic Institute of Natural History ISSN 1027 832X Texas Bluegrass Hybrids Bluegrass Research Research Bremer Turf Information Kansas State University Research and Extension 2004 11 04 Retrieved 2022 03 19 Eckert Nora and Kostka Andy Orioles Ravens groundskeepers challenged by climate change Capital News Service Tuesday October 29 2019 Retrieved March 28 2022 Further reading EditFlora Europaea Poa pratensis European Poa Database Horticultural information on this turfgrass growing it in the home garden The Observers Book of Grasses Sedges and Rushes Frances Rose pages 42 43 PennState Extension Kentucky Bluegrass Facts and Identification Kew gardens grass databaseExternal links Edit Media related to poa pratensis category at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Poa pratensis amp oldid 1131951485, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
