Annual Bluegrass, Poa annua, Poa
Poa annua L.
Poaceae (Grass Family)
▲▼ young, but flowering plants
▲▼ older plants, with lighter green color than surrounding turf
▲▼annual bluegrass growing in a creeping bentgrass golf green (lighter green spots with silvery inflorescences)
Annual Bluegrass:
· cool-season annual, sometimes perennial (in northern U.S. states)
· short (3/16-6" tall), pale green leaves ending in a keeled tip
· silvery-green panicle inflorescence can appear when plant has only 3-4 leaves
· can tolerate close mowing (putting green height)
· produces many seeds, which may germinate over very long periods of time
Control:
· pre-emergent herbicides, fungicides (rubigan), growth regulators (paclobutrazol)
· difficult to eradicate; once on a site, always need to maintain control practices to keep it from spreading