Canada Bluegrass

Poaceae

LIFE FORM: Perenial

NATIVITY: Europe

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

Similar to Kentucky blue grass (P. pratensis), this species is a vigorous runner with flattened stems as opposed to round ones.

FLOWERS:

Flowers similar to Kentucky blue grass.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

Spreads by means of vigorous underground rhizomes; very tenacious once established.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Trampled lawns in public parks; minimally maintained public parks and open space; vacant lots and rubble dump sites; abandoned grasslands (meadows); small-scale pavement openings (tree pits) and cracks; rock outcrops and stone walls; unmowed highway banks and median strips with frequent salt applications.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Salt tolerance along roadways; drought tolerance on compacted soils; erosion control on slopes.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

This species is more drought tolerant than its cousin, Kentucky bluegrass, and more tolerant of poor soils.