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 turf-type cultivar blend (e.g., 'Midnight' or 'Baron')
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 7; thrives in northern climates and high altitudes, struggles with extreme southern heat.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, high-quality, fine-to-medium textured lawn with rich medium to dark green color. Height ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 inches when maintained, and up to 18-24 inches if unmowed with panicle seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium-narrow (2-4mm), flat to folded in the bud with distinctive boat-shaped tips. Color is dark to blue-green with prominent parallel veins and a slight keel. Ligule is short and membranous, auricles are absent.
Root System
Fibrous, moderately deep root system with aggressive underground rhizomes. Moderate thatch-forming tendency under high fertility, slow to moderate establishment from seed, excellent wear recovery.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe, Northern Asia, and mountainous regions of North America; widely cultivated throughout cool-temperate regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous, spreading extensively via underground stems to form a dense, uniform turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours daily), moderate to high water needs to maintain quality during summer, excellent winter hardiness but goes dormant or semi-dormant during severe summer heat or drought.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.0 to 3.0 inches. Medium to high maintenance level, requiring regular fertilization (3-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), frequent mowing, periodic aeration, and dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional cold tolerance and winter color retention in milder cool regions, high traffic tolerance and self-repairing via rhizomes, moderate drought resistance by entering summer dormancy.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America, widely used for erosion control and turf. Provides modest wildlife habitat for foraging birds and insects; frequently blended with Perennial Ryegrass and Fine Fescue.