1. Chapter 2. Turfgrass species

3. 1. Cool-season grasses ★ general Characteristics :
Usually long-day plants requiring cool nights
and vernalization
mostly adapted to temperate and subarctic but sometimes
in subtropical
- C3 plants
- Festucoideae subfamily
- 3 tribes ; Festuceae, Aveneae and Triticeae

4. Fescues - 6 species out of approximately 100 species
Coarse fescues : Tall fescue, Medow fescue
Fine fescues : Creeping red fescue,
Chewings fescue,
Sheep fescue,
Hard fescue

5. A-1. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae Schreb)
a. general characteristics : coarse-textured, bunch-type grass, seeded type
b. description : rolled vernation, membranous ligule( mm long),
short blunt auricle, broad divided collar
blade(5-10mm wide), contracted panicle
c. adaptation and use : utility turf with heat and drouth stress tolerance
New cultivars with finer texture are developed
d. cultivars : Kentucky-31, Rebel, Olympic, Mustang Falcon, Arid
: National turfgrass evaluation program
e. cultural intensity : Low to medium
Mowing range ; above 35 mm ( mm optimum)
Fertilization : 5- 15gN/m2/year
Seeding rate : g/m2

6. A-2. Medow fescue (Festuca elatior L. or F. pratensis Huds)
a. general characteristics : similar to tall fescue
b. description : rolled vernation,
membranous truncate ligule( mm long)
short blunt auricle, broad continuous collar
blade(3-8mm wide), contracted panicle
c. adaptation and use : similar to tall fescue, less persistent under
drouth and heat
more widely used in Europe
d. cultivars : Beaumont
e. cultural intensity : similar to tall fescue

7. A-3. Fine fescues (Festuca spp)
a. general characteristics : High shade tolerance, fine texture,
b. general use : shade condition as mixture, utility turf
c. species and descriptions
- Creeping red fescure (Festuca rubra) : folded, truncate (0.5mm),
no auricle, narrow collar, panicle
- Cewings fescue (Festuca rubra commutata) : same as CRF
- Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina) : folded, truncate (0.3mm), no auricle,
divided broad collar, panicle
- Hard fescue (Festuca longifolia) : similar to Sheep fescue

8. d. adaptation and use :
- utility turf with less intensive care : Sheep and Hard fescue
Sheep fescue is most drouth hardy, acid soil tolerant and
low fertility adapted
Creeping red fescue and chewings fescue : higher quality
with density, less stress and disease hardiness
- NTEP fine fescues
e. cultural intensity : medium to low
mowing range : mm
Fertilization : 5- 10gN/m2/year
Seeding rate : g/m2

9. B. Bluegrasses - 4 species out of over 200 species
- most widely used cool-season grass
boat-shaped leaf tip
Kentucky bluegrass,
Rough bluegrass,
Canada bluegrass,
Annual bluegrass

10. B-1. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa prantensis L)
a. general characteristics : rhizomatous species, Queen of the grass,
high quality with low heat and drouth tolerance
apomictic species - minimum variation through generations
b. description : folded vernation, truncate ligule( mm long),
no auricle, broad divided collar, blade(2-4mm wide), panicle
c. adaptation and use : Most widely used throughout subarctic
and temperate, well-drained, moist, and fertile soil
lawns, golf, athletic fields and other gerneral purpose
d. cultivars : Adelphi, Baron, Midnight etc (NTEP)
e. cultural intensity : medium to high
Mowing range ; mm ( mm optimum)
Fertilization : gN/m2/year
Seeding rate : g/m2

11. B-2. Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis L)
a. general characteristics : stoloniferous species, yellow-green,
alternative species for damp or moist condition,
low quality with poor heat and drouth tolerance
overseeding species to warmseason grass
b. description : folded vernation, acute or pointed ligule(2-6mm long),
no auricle, broad divided collar, blade(1-4mm wide), panicle
c. adaptation and use : utility turf for wet area
d. cultivars : Sabre etc (NTEP)
e. cultural intensity : low to medium
Mowing range ; mm
Fertilization : gN/m2/year
Seeding rate : g/m2
Irrigation necessary

12. B-3. Canada bluegrass (Poa compressa L)
a. general characteristics : weekly rhizomatous species, bluish-green,
very low quality, soil stabilizing utility turf
b. description : folded vernation, truncate ligule( mm long),
no auricle, narrow divided collar, blade(1-3mm wide), panicle
c. adaptation and use : utility turf
d. cultivars : Canon etc
e. cultural intensity : very low

13. B-4. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L)
a. general characteristics : bunch-type or weekly rhizomatous species,
high quality green in subarctic climate, otherwise winter weed
b. description : folded vernation, pointed or acute(0.8-3mm long),
no auricle, broad divided collar, blade(1-3mm wide), panicle
c. adaptation and use : greens in northern countries,
moist well-drained cool conditions
d. cultivars : common
e. cultural intensity : medium to high in green condition

14. C. Ryegrasses - 2 species out of 10 species
- Perennial ryegrass and Italian(Annual) ryegrass
- Fast growing species

15. C-1. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L)
a. general characteristics : bunch-type species, may behave as annual,
high quality with high wear tolerance,
fast establishment from seed,
high disease activities during wet and hot periods
b. description : folded vernation, truncate to round ligule(0.5-2mm long),
claw-like auricle, broad divided collar, blade(2-5mm wide)
with noticeable veins and glossy abaxial(back side), spike
c. adaptation and use : Most widely used in moist cool environments(Europe)
well-drained, moist, and fertile soil, mixtures with Kentucky bluegrass
lawns, golf, athletic fields and other general purpose
overseeding species on warmseason grasses
d. cultivars : Manhattan, Derby etc (NTEP)
e. cultural intensity : medium to high
Mowing range ; mm ( mm optimum)
Fertilization : gN/m2/year
Seeding rate : g/m2

16. C-2. Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam)
a. general characteristics : bunch-type species, mostly as annual
low quality with coarse texture,
very fast establishment from seed
b. description : rolled vernation, rounded ligule(0.5-2mm long),
clawlike auricle, broad continuous collar
blade(3-7mm wide) with noticeable veins
and glossy abaxial(back side), spike with awned spikelets
c. adaptation and use : similar to Perennial ryegrass but low quality
and temporary purpose
overseeding species on warmseason grasses
d. cultivars : common
e. cultural intensity : low to medium, similar to Perennial ryegrass

17. D. Others Smooth bromegrass : low quality at extreme
conditions such as semiarid in temperate
Alkaligrass : low quality at saline
or alkaline soils in temperate