Orchardgrass
Dactylis glomerata · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Pasture/Forage Grass, often considered a weed in manicured lawns
Variety / Cultivar
Common Orchardgrass (often used as a generic forage/pasture variety)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9; excellent cold tolerance but goes dormant/browns quickly in extreme summer heat or severe winter cold.
About This Grass
A tall, coarse-textured perennial that forms distinct, light-green to bluish-green clumps. It grows rapidly in spring. Seed heads are distinctive panicles with spikelets clustered in dense, one-sided 'clumps' resembling a cock's foot.
Blade Characteristics
Width is medium to coarse (4-10mm); blades are V-shaped or folded in the bud (vernation: folded). Tips are sharply pointed. The color is typically a dull, light bluish-green. Ligule is prominent, white, and membranous (2-8mm long); auricles are absent.
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system; high establishment speed; does not form a dense sod because of its bunch-forming habit; moderate thatch tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa; widely naturalized across North America
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); lacks rhizomes or stolons
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun to Moderate Shade (higher shade tolerance than most forage grasses); moderate water needs; good drought tolerance once established; prefers well-drained soils with pH 5.8-7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Maintenance height for pasture is 3-6 inches; in lawns, it frequently outgrows turf and requires frequent mowing. Low to Medium maintenance level; fertilization 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year if used for forage.
Special Characteristics
Highly shade tolerant for a cool-season grass; excellent palatability for livestock; susceptible to leaf rust and purple leaf spot; high competitive ability against weeds in pasture settings.
Ecological Information
Introduced status in North America; provides significant nesting cover and food (seeds) for birds and small mammals; excellent for soil stabilization in non-turf areas; often used in mixes with legumes like Alfalfa or Red Clover.