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 or standard turf-type cultivars
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Zones 3 through 7. Excellent cold tolerance, goes dormant and turns brown during freezing winters, goes into summer dormancy under heat and drought stress.
About This Grass
Medium-textured cool-season turf grass forming a dense sod with rich green to blue-green color. Reaches heights of 18 to 24 inches if left unmowed, but maintained at 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Features open, pyramidal panicle seed heads at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Medium blade width (2-4mm), flat to folded shape with distinctive boat-shaped tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is short and membranous, auricles are absent.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system combined with aggressive underground rhizomes. Forms a dense, tough sod. Moderate establishment speed from seed.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and Northern Asia; widely naturalized and cultivated across North America
Growth Habit
Rhizomatous, spreading underground to form a dense, uniform turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun for best performance (tolerates very light shade). High water requirement during summer drought to maintain green color, enters dormancy during severe drought.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.0 to 3.0 inches. Medium to high maintenance level, requiring regular fertilization, frequent mowing, and periodic dethatching and aeration.
Special Characteristics
High wear and traffic tolerance due to aggressive rhizomatous recovery, excellent winter hardiness, moderate shade tolerance, prone to summer patch and dollar spot diseases if mismanaged.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control due to dense root and rhizome network. Commonly mixed with perennial ryegrass and fine fescues.