Kentucky Bluegrass
Poa pratensis · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Golf Course Fairways/Tees
Variety / Cultivar
Generic / Common Kentucky Bluegrass (exhibiting improved turf-type characteristics such as mid-to-dark green color and medium-fine texture)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 2-7; excellent cold tolerance; poor heat tolerance in the Deep South; goes dormant in winter while staying brown/straw-colored in extreme cold.
About This Grass
A dense, lush turf grass with a distinct medium-green to deep blue-green color. It maintains a soft texture and uniform appearance. When unmowed, it produces open, pyramidal panicle seed heads in late spring.
Blade Characteristics
Boat-shaped (v-shaped) leaf tips; blades are 2-4mm wide (medium-fine); vernation is folded in the bud; light to dark green color with a distinct central vein (keel); ligules are short and membranous; auricles are absent.
Root System
Relatively shallow fibrous root system with extensive horizontal rhizomes; forms high thatch over time; slow to establish from seed (21-28 days) but produces a very durable sod.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe, North Asia, and the mountains of Algeria and Morocco; highly adapted to temperate climates of North America
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous (spreading via underground stems), forming a dense, self-repairing sod mat over time
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun preferred (6+ hours); poor shade tolerance; requires moderate to high water (approx. 1-1.5 inches per week); enters dormancy during extreme summer heat or drought.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 2.0-3.5 inches; weekly mowing recommended; high nitrogen需求 (3-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually); regular aeration and dethatching required as part of a high-maintenance program.
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance and recovery due to rhizomatous growth; susceptible to leaf spot, melting-out, and summer patch; low salt tolerance; high aesthetic value for residential lawns.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in North America; provides soil stabilization via rhizomes; used in blends with Perennial Ryegrass or Fine Fescues to improve genetic diversity and disease resistance.