Practical
Plants

Poa pratensis

Kentucky Blue Grass

a perennial member of the Poa genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Poa
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

One report suggests that it might be edible but gives no details[3]. It is quite probably referring to the seed (which is small and very fiddly too utilize) but might be referring to the base of the leaf stems, which is eaten in one other member of this genus.

Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa, temperate Asia and N. America.
Habitat
Meadows and grassy places, it is also found on dunes[2]. Common and widespread in Britain, but it is only found on mountains in the south of its range[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - surface sow in the spring in a cold frame. Do not allow the compost to dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in the spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[4]. A polymorphic species[2]. It can be grown in lawns[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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