Kentucky Bluegrass
Poa pratensis · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf
Variety / Cultivar
Common blend, often including turf-type cultivars bred for dark green color and disease resistance
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7; excellent cold tolerance, struggles in extreme summer heat and humidity characteristic of the deep southern US
About This Grass
Forms a dense, high-quality turf with fine to medium texture and a rich medium-to-dark green or blue-green color; grows 1.5 to 2.5 feet tall if unmowed but is typically maintained at 2 to 3 inches
Blade Characteristics
Medium-narrow blades (2-4mm wide) with distinctive boat-shaped tips and prominent parallel veins giving a railroad-track appearance; folded in the bud (vernation); membranous ligule with no auricles
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system combined with aggressive spreading rhizomes; moderate to high thatch tendency; establishes slowly from seed but recovers well from damage via rhizome spread
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Northern Asia; widely naturalized and cultivated across North America and temperate regions globally
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) and regular moisture; moderate drought tolerance by entering summer dormancy; prefers well-drained, fertile soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0
Mowing & Maintenance
Maintain at 2.0 to 3.0 inches height; mow weekly during active spring and fall growth; high fertilizer requirement (3-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually); requires regular aeration and occasional dethatching; high maintenance level
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance and traffic recovery due to rhizomes; fair shade tolerance compared to fescues; susceptible to some diseases like leaf spot, dollar spot, and summer patch; excellent self-repairing capability
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; provides standard urban wildlife foraging cover; heavily utilized in home lawns and athletic fields for soil stabilization and aesthetic turf coverage; commonly mixed with perennial ryegrass and fine fescues