Kentucky Bluegrass
Poa pratensis · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Golf Course Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-7, highly cold tolerant, moderate heat tolerance, goes dormant in extreme summer heat.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae
Variety / Cultivar
Common or various cultivars (e.g., 'Midnight', 'Baron')
About This Grass
Forms a dense, high-quality turf with medium-fine texture and rich dark green to blue-green color. Reaches 18 to 24 inches if unmowed, but maintained at 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Produces open, pyramidal panicle seed heads at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Medium-fine width (3-4 mm), flat to folded with distinct parallel veins, classic boat-shaped tips, folded in the bud (vernation), with a short membranous ligule and absent auricles.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system combined with aggressive rhizomes, forming a tough, dense sod. Moderate to high thatch tendency, and medium establishment speed from seed.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Northern Asia, widely naturalized and cultivated across North America and temperate regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous, spreading extensively via underground stems to form a dense, uniform turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours daily), moderate to high water needs, fair drought tolerance (goes dormant in severe drought), and prefers well-drained fertile soils with a pH of 6.0-7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 1.5 to 2.5 inches regularly. High maintenance level requiring 3-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually, regular irrigation, annual aeration, and dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance and superior ability to recover from damage due to aggressive rhizomes. Good winter color retention in milder cool zones, but susceptible to certain diseases like leaf spot and summer patch.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control due to dense sod, forms standard turf blends with Perennial Ryegrass and Fescues, and provides limited wildlife forage value.