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 Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Standard common and improved turf types (e.g., 'Midnight', 'Compact', 'America')
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7, exhibits excellent cold tolerance, goes dormant in extreme heat.
About This Grass
Dense, fine-to-medium textured turf with rich dark green to blue-green color. Grows 1.5 to 2 feet tall if unmowed, but maintained as a low, dense carpet at 1.5 to 3 inches. Produces open, pyramidal panicle seed heads at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Medium-fine width (2-4mm), flat to folded with distinct boat-shaped tips and prominent parallel veins (tramline effect). Folded vernation in the bud, with a short membranous ligule and no auricles.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system complemented by extensive underground rhizomes. Moderate to high thatch-forming tendency, slow to moderate establishment from seed, but excellent sod formation and wear recovery.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Northern Asia; widely naturalized and cultivated across North America and temperate regions worldwide.
Growth Habit
Aggressively rhizomatous, forming a dense, uniform turf and strong sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6 hours direct sunlight) and moderate to high moisture levels. Moderate drought tolerance, entering summer dormancy during extended dry periods. Prefers well-drained, fertile soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 1.5 to 2.5 inches. High maintenance level requiring regular fertilization (3-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), frequent watering, and periodic aeration and dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional cold hardiness and winter color retention in milder zones, excellent wear tolerance and self-repairing via rhizomes, moderate shade tolerance compared to fescues.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America, provides good soil stabilization, erosion control, and turf density, but low direct wildlife food value compared to native prairie grasses.