Turfgrass species: Tour: Common and Scientific name:
Annual bluegrass - Poa annua L.
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Plant characteristics
| Growth Habit | bunch-type, but may develop short creeping stems and stolons under close mowing |
| Texture | very fine, depending on mowing height |
| Density | high, but can decrease depending on environmental stress |
| Color | light apple-green |
Useful identifying Characteristics
| occasional stolons; large membranous ligule; boat-shaped tip; presence of seedheads at any mowing height. |
Uses
| Annual bluegrass is considered a weed although it is cultured as a desirable plant in pure stands. It is only found where irrigation is available and thus it is usually limited to highly managed turf. |
Other Characteristics
| Varieties | Poa annua var. annua true annual type Poa annua var. reptans short-lived perennial (2-3 yrs) |
| Seeding Rate | - |
Reproduction
| Life cycle | annual, occasionally perennial |
| Propagation | seed considered a weed in turf stands unless it is high percentage of stand. |
| Seeds/lb | 2,000,000 |
Adaptation
| Sun/shade | both sun and shade; tolerates more shade than KBG |
| Soil | medium to heavy soils, light soils that are heavily irrigated |
| Moisture | requires irrigation, does not have dormancy characteristic |
| Mowing height | tolerates wide range of mowing heights, 1/4 "+ |
| Fertility | 3 to 5 N per 1000 sq. ft., does better with high P and near neutral pH |
Special Problems
| Annual bluegrass lacks tolerance to environmental stresses. It persists because of its ability to form seedheads at any mowing height; thus, it fills in voids caused by stress when weather becomes favorable for germination. |