Kentucky Bluegrass
Poa pratensis · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common blend or standard turf type
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. Excellent cold tolerance, goes dormant in extreme winter cold, and struggles in intense heat without irrigation.
About This Grass
Forms an extremely dense, fine to medium-textured sod with upright growth. Exhibits rich dark green to blue-green color during peak seasons, but prone to going dormant and turning brown during severe summer heat or drought stress.
Blade Characteristics
Fine to medium width (2-3mm), flat to folded with prominent parallel veins and characteristic boat-shaped tips. Vernation is folded in the bud with a short membranous ligule and absent auricles.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system with aggressive underground rhizomes. Can produce significant thatch over time and establishes somewhat slowly from seed.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Northern Asia; widely naturalized and cultivated across North America
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous, spreading extensively underground to form a dense, uniform turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (minimum 6-8 hours daily) and regular moisture. Moderate drought tolerance by entering dormancy; prefers well-drained, fertile soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.0 to 3.5 inches regularly. Requires high maintenance including regular fertilization (3-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), frequent irrigation, and periodic core aeration and dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional self-repairing wear tolerance due to rhizomes, good cold tolerance, fair shade tolerance (better with specialized cultivars), and excellent winter color retention compared to warm-season grasses.
Ecological Information
Widely introduced across North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control, serves as a primary turfgrass matrix in residential and commercial landscapes, and supports urban ecosystems.