Annual Bluegrass

From Turf Wiki

• Scientific Name: Poa annua L.

• Common Names: Annual bluegrass, Annual Meadowgrass, Low Spear Grass, Straatgras, Wiechlina roczna (Polish), Wintergrass

• Climatic Zone: Temperate

• Geographic Distribution: Africa, Australia, East Asia, Europe, North America, South America

• Life Cycle: annual to perennial depending on biotype

• Photosynthetic Apparatus: C3

• Major Identifying Characteristic: Smooth leaf blade with single midrib, long ligule, profuse seedhead producer

Control Strategies

• Cultural Control: On putting greens, reduced rate nitrogen fertility programs ("spoon-feeding") have been used with limited success. In high cut turf, cultural control is not possible.

• Chemical Control: Selective preemergence herbicides applied both fall and spring will reduce germination of annual biotypes. Some selective postemergence herbicides may be available.