Poa pratensis
Cool-season, rhizomatous perennial grass that forms dense turf with strong self-repair after damage, drought tolerance, and wide use in lawns, sports fields, parks, and pastures.
Common Names
Kentucky Bluegrass, Common Meadow Grass, Meadow Grass, Bluegrass, June Grass, Spreading Bluegrass
Summary
Kentucky bluegrass is a perennial cool-season grass native to Europe and widely naturalized in North America. It forms a dense turf via underground rhizomes, with smooth, fine-textured blue-green leaves and silvery blue-green spikelets in summer, offering a lush appearance and strong erosion control for lawns and parks.
Preferring full sun to part shade, it grows best in well-drained soils ranging from neutral to slightly acidic and is hardy in USDA zones 3–9. Propagation occurs by seed in spring and by division in spring, and cultivation emphasizes regular mowing and irrigation with periodic fertilization for lawn, park, and sports-field use.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
2 inches - 3 feet
Spread
6 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3a-7b
Sunlight Requirements
Full Sun to Partial Sun
Soil Type
Well-drained, fertile loam or clay-loam soil on a lime-rich (calcareous/limestone) substrate; pH around 6.0–7.5.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Bloom Color
Blue to purplish-blue with purplish-green, grey, or silvery blue-green hues.
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Growth Rate
Rapid growth
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Rhizomes (underground propagation), Sprigging, Sod plugs, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts butterflies, Attracts birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 67 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Poales
- Family
- Poaceae
- Genus
- Poa
Inferior Taxa
Poa pratensis subsp. dolichophylla Poa pratensis subsp. jordanii Poa pratensis subsp. latifolia Poa pratensis subsp. pratensis Poa pratensis subsp. turfosa
Synonyms
Paneion pratense Poa angustifolia subsp. anceps Poa angustifolia var. pratensis Poa bourgaei Poa bourgaei Poa nymannii Poa pratensis var. anceps Poa pratensis var. pratensis Poa maydelii Poa pratensis var. attica Poa pratensis var. transnominatum Poa anceps Poa pratensis var. anceps Poa pratensis subsp. vulgaris Poa pratensis var. major Poa pratensis f. latifolia Poa sabulosa Poa alpigena subsp. sobolevskiana