Poa pratensis: Country Or Region Of Origin
Northern Hemisphere
Plant Profile: Poa pratensis
Taxonomy: Poa pratensisNames
KBG, Kentucky Bluegrass, Kentucky Blue Grass
Phonetic Spelling:POH-ah pray-TEN-sis
Genus:Poa
Species:pratensis
Family:Poaceae
Kentucky Bluegrass is a perennial cool-season grass that ranks among the most favored turfgrasses. It thrives in full sunlight during the spring and fall, but in the sweltering summers of the South, it benefits from some afternoon shade.
Tags
#weedy
#Cool season grass
#turfgrass
#lawns
Similar Plants
Poa pratensis is often confused with:
Poa pratensis Feature Summary
Attributes
Northern Hemisphere
Perennial
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
3a
3b
Fruit
Caryopsis
Flowers
Leaves
Green
Stem
Landscape
Poa pratensis Image Gallery
Poa pratensis Attributes
Poa pratensis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Poa pratensis Whole Plant Traits
Poa pratensis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Poa pratensis: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Poa pratensis: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Poa pratensis Cultural Conditions
Poa pratensis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Poa pratensis: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Poa pratensis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
Poa pratensis Fruit
Poa pratensis: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Poa pratensis Flowers
Poa pratensis: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Poa pratensis Leaves
Poa pratensis: Leaf Color
Green
Poa pratensis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Poa pratensis Stem
Poa pratensis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Poa pratensis Landscape
Poa pratensis: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Poa pratensis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Poa pratensis: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
