Identifying 5 Common Lawn Grass Species
Why is it important to identify the grass species in my lawn? It is crucial to identify your existing grass species before overseeding or repairing bare spots to ensure uniformity. Mixing incompatible grasses like Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass results in a noticeable, patchy appearance due to differences in texture, color, and maintenance requirements. Correct identification ensures you choose the right seed for a seamless, healthy lawn.
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Understanding Grass Compatibility
Whether you’re overseeding an existing lawn, thinking about establishing a new lawn, or reseeding bare or thinning spots, it’s important to know what kind of grass you currently have growing. For many homeowners there doesn’t appear to be much difference between grass species at first glance. It’s not until they’ve used tall fescue to fill in a bare spot in the middle of their Kentucky bluegrass or overseeded Bermudagrass into their fine fescue lawn do they realize the error of their ways. While some grass species are okay to mix, blending together other types will result in a “patchwork quilt-like” look. Each species has its own growth habits, maintenance requirements, texture, and shade of green. Luckily, identifying your existing grass is fairly easy once you’ve learned some key characteristics. Knowing your grass type will ensure you choose the right lawn grass seed for your next project.
Identification of Popular Cool-Season Grasses
Kentucky Bluegrass Identification
Kentucky bluegrass is the most popular grass used for lawns in the United States, and for good reason. It creates one of the most high-quality lawns possible. Its soft velvety texture, deep green color, and tolerance to heavy traffic make it one of the best choices for yards, sports fields, and campuses. Kentucky bluegrass has a dark-green color and a spreading growth habit (rhizomes). The most obvious identifying characteristic is the kneeled canoe-shaped leaf tip. It also has a prominent midrib (vein) running up the middle of the leaf blade.
Perennial Ryegrass Identification
Key differences in leaf structure help distinguish between common cool-season grasses.
Identification of Fescue Grass Varieties
Fine Fescue Grass Identification
Fine fescue includes many species of fescues which all have similar appearances and growth habits. These grasses are most commonly used in cooler climates. They are the most shade-tolerant lawn grasses and fairly easy to differentiate from all other grasses. Their most distinguishing characteristic is their very narrow, finely-bladed leaves, giving them a delicate appearance. They can also have a lighter green color than other grasses. Fine fescue is okay to blend with both Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass in small, evenly-distributed amounts although it may be noticeable when concentrated into patches. For more details on its shade tolerance, consult Cornell University’s turfgrass resources.
Tall Fescue Grass Identification
Turf-type tall fescue is one of the most flexible, durable grasses available. It handles heat and drought better than other cool-season grasses and is considered traffic tolerant. It’s found in almost every state and is the best choice for transitional zones. Tall fescue can be identified by its wide leaf blades that have equal-sized veins. It has no prominent midrib, unlike Kentucky Bluegrass. When left unmowed it forms a panicle style seed head containing six to eight seeds. Tall fescue should not be blended with any other grass species due to its coarse texture and wide blades, which create obvious patches when mixed with finer grasses. This makes it essential for repairing a Tall Fescue lawn with the same seed type.
Identifying the Dominant Warm-Season Grass
Bermudagrass Identification
Bermudagrass is commonly found in southern states from California all the way to Florida. It’s an aggressive, durable grass that handles traffic and drought well. It thrives in the summer heat and goes dormant during the winter months. Bermudagrass can be identified by its coarse texture and aggressive above ground roots known as stolons. It also has small hairs where the leaf blade meets the leaf sheath. Its most distinguished characteristic is its seed head which resembles a bird’s foot. Bermudagrass should never be blended with any other type of lawn grass and is considered a weed in cool-season grasses.
Look for the aggressive stolons and distinct ‘bird’s foot’ seed head to identify Bermudagrass.
Armed with these simple identification characteristics, you can accurately determine your current lawn grass and make the right choices for your next seeding or repair project. A successful lawn starts with knowing what you’re growing.
