Poa sylvestris

Common Names

Forest Bluegrass, Woodland Bluegrass

Summary

Woodland Bluegrass is a perennial grass in the Poaceae family that grows in loose tufts and does not form rhizomes or stolons, reaching about 30–120 cm tall with an open panicle 6.7–20 cm long, featuring small spikelets 2.5–4.4 mm and densely scabrous lemmas with keeled glumes, with branchlets that hang downward with age, flowering occurs in spring to early summer (April–June) in habitats ranging from moist to dry-mesic forests and riparian woodlands, and its range extends from New York west to Minnesota and South Dakota, south to the Panhandle of Florida and Texas, while RHS notes non-native status in Great Britain and Ireland, in cultivation Woodland Bluegrass prefers dappled sunlight to light shade and moist, often calcareous soils rich in loam, it is not rhizomatous or stoloniferous and forms loose tufts, with panicles 6.7–20 cm long and blooms from late spring to early summer, Conservation guidance emphasizes preserving shaded habitat by maintaining a high forest canopy, reflecting its woodland and riparian habitat associations in southeastern Canada and the eastern United States

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-3 feet

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, rich loamy soil, often calcareous.

Soil Drainage

Moist to mesic soils

Bloom Color

Light green to green

Bloom Time

Spring to early Summer

Foliage Color

Dull green

Leaf Lifecycle

Semi-deciduous

Growth Rate

Most vegetative growth occurs during the spring.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse