Kentucky Bluegrass
Poa pratensis · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common turf cultivars such as 'Midnight' or 'Baron'
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-7, highly cold tolerant
About This Grass
Forms a lush, dense, medium-textured turf with rich dark green to blue-green coloring, showing drought-induced or winter dormancy (yellowing) in the provided image
Blade Characteristics
Medium width (2-4mm), folded in the bud with distinctive boat-shaped tips, prominent parallel veins, membranous ligule, and no auricles
Root System
Moderate depth, fibrous with extensive rhizomes, moderate establishment speed, moderate thatch tendency
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe, northern Asia, and parts of the mountainous regions of North America
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous, spreading extensively via underground stems to form a dense sod
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun preferred (minimum 6 hours), high water requirement to maintain green color during summer, good cold-season drought dormancy
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.0 to 3.5 inches, high maintenance level requiring regular fertilization and irrigation
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance and self-repairing capability via rhizomes, prone to summer dormancy without adequate water
Ecological Information
Widely introduced and naturalized across North America, provides good soil stabilization and erosion control