Identifying TurfgrassesIdentifying Turfgrasses

Agents Commercial Ornamental Horticulture In-service Training - May, 2005

Common Turfgrasses in Common Turfgrasses in TennesseeTennessee

Warm-seasonWarm-season

• BermudagrassBermudagrass• ZoysiaZoysia• CentipedegrassCentipedegrass• St. AugustinegrassSt. Augustinegrass

Cool-seasonCool-season

• Tall fescueTall fescue• Fine fescuesFine fescues• Kentucky bluegrassKentucky bluegrass• Perennial ryegrassPerennial ryegrass• Annual ryegrassAnnual ryegrass

Turfgrass Turfgrass Growth Growth HabitHabit

TillersTillers

RhizomesRhizomes

StolonsStolons

Growth HabitGrowth Habit

• Bunch: spread by Bunch: spread by tilleringtillering– Uniformity is problem Uniformity is problem

long term or at low long term or at low seeding ratesseeding rates

– Tall, Chewings and Tall, Chewings and Hard Fescues, and Hard Fescues, and Annual and Annual and Perennial Perennial RyegrassesRyegrasses

Growth HabitGrowth Habit

• RhizomatousRhizomatous– Below-ground lateral shootsBelow-ground lateral shoots– Storage organsStorage organs

• Uniform turfsUniform turfs• Sod productionSod production• Bermudagrass, Bermudagrass,

Kentucky Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Creeping Red Fescue Creeping Red Fescue and and ZoysiaZoysia

Growth HabitGrowth Habit

• StoloniferousStoloniferous– Above-ground lateral Above-ground lateral

shootsshoots– Foraging organ; grow Foraging organ; grow

faster than rhizomesfaster than rhizomes

• Uniform turfsUniform turfs– Close mowing preferredClose mowing preferred

• Sod productionSod production• Bermudagrass and Bermudagrass and

ZoysiaZoysia

A Turfgrass PlantA Turfgrass Plant

VernationVernation

FoldedFolded RolledRolled

Leaf TipLeaf Tip

RoundedRounded

Boat-shapedBoat-shaped

PointedPointed

Ligule

Collar

Auricles

Tall Fescue

• Growth habit: bunch• Vernation: rolled• Ligule: med.(0.4 - 1.2 mm), blunt• Auricles: short, blunt, hairs• Collar: broad, divided, short hairs • Blade: wide (5-10 mm), flat, stiff (coarse leaf)

• Vernation: foldedVernation: folded• Ligule: membranous, Ligule: membranous,

0.5 mm, blunt0.5 mm, blunt• Auricles: noneAuricles: none• Collar: narrow, Collar: narrow,

continuouscontinuous• Blade: 11/2 - 3 mm, Blade: 11/2 - 3 mm,

often remaining foldedoften remaining foldedRed fescueRed fescue

Hard fescueHard fescue ((Festuca longifoliaFestuca longifolia))

• Growth habit: bunchGrowth habit: bunch• Very stiff leaves, wider than sheep fescueVery stiff leaves, wider than sheep fescue• More tolerant of moist, fertile soils than sheep More tolerant of moist, fertile soils than sheep

fescuefescue• Uses: shade mixtures and soil stabilizationUses: shade mixtures and soil stabilization

Poa spp.Poa spp.

• Most commonly used temperate grassMost commonly used temperate grass• More than 200 speciesMore than 200 species• Vernation: foldedVernation: folded• Auricles: noneAuricles: none• Leaf blade: boat-shaped tip; distinct central vein + Leaf blade: boat-shaped tip; distinct central vein +

parallel light veinsparallel light veins• Growth habit: bunch, stoloniferous or rhizomatous Growth habit: bunch, stoloniferous or rhizomatous

depending on speciesdepending on species• Cutting height: 1 to 4 inchesCutting height: 1 to 4 inches

• Ligule: membranous, Ligule: membranous, very short (0.2 - 0.6 very short (0.2 - 0.6 mm), bluntmm), blunt

• Collar: broad, dividedCollar: broad, divided• Leaf blades: smooth, Leaf blades: smooth,

central vein, boat-central vein, boat-shaped tipshaped tip

Kentucky bluegrassKentucky bluegrass

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua)

• Damp/moist, fertile soils• Sun to shade• Major component of many golf greens

(unintentionally) and lawns – often form conspicuous patches

• Ligule: long (0.8 – 3mm), membranous, pointedLigule: long (0.8 – 3mm), membranous, pointed• Collar: broad, dividedCollar: broad, divided• Blade: two - 3 mm wide; light- to dark-green Blade: two - 3 mm wide; light- to dark-green

ecotypesecotypes

Annual bluegrassAnnual bluegrass

Wrinkled leavesWrinkled leaves

Long liguleLong ligule

Seed producer Seed producer ((1,190,000 seeds / lb.1,190,000 seeds / lb.))

Annual bluegrassAnnual bluegrass

Rough bluegrass(Poa trivialis)

• Growth habit: stoloniferous• Fine-textured, light green• Damp/moist, fertile soils• Poor heat/drought tolerance• Moderate to heavy shade

– turns brown & thins out in sun during summer

– *Overseeding bermudagrass

• Ligule: long (2 - 6 mm) membranous, Ligule: long (2 - 6 mm) membranous, pointed or notchedpointed or notched

• Collar: broad, dividedCollar: broad, divided• Blades: one - 4 mm wide; glossyBlades: one - 4 mm wide; glossy surface; sheath has “onion-skin” looksurface; sheath has “onion-skin” look

Rough bluegrassRough bluegrass

Weak, small Weak, small and shortand shortstolonstolon

Rough bluegrass

Rough bluegrassRough bluegrass

Perennial ryegrassPerennial ryegrass ((Lolium perenneLolium perenne))

• English ryegrassEnglish ryegrass

• Growth habit: bunchGrowth habit: bunch

• Origin: British Isles Origin: British Isles

• Annual or perennial according to locationAnnual or perennial according to location

• Vernation: foldedVernation: folded• Ligule: 0.5-2 mm, membranous, blunt to roundedLigule: 0.5-2 mm, membranous, blunt to rounded• Auricles: small, claw-likeAuricles: small, claw-like• Collar: broad, dividedCollar: broad, divided• Blades: flat, 2-5 mm wide; glossy undersideBlades: flat, 2-5 mm wide; glossy underside

Perennial ryegrassPerennial ryegrass

Other ID tipsOther ID tips

Very red at the baseVery red at the base

Seeds are widerSeeds are widerabove the mid-pointabove the mid-point

Perennial ryegrassPerennial ryegrassPerennial ryegrass

• Italian ryegrassItalian ryegrass• Annual or short-lived perennialAnnual or short-lived perennial• Growth habit: bunchGrowth habit: bunch• Vernation: rolledVernation: rolled• Ligule: ½ - 2 mm, membranous, roundedLigule: ½ - 2 mm, membranous, rounded• Auricles: pointed, claw-likeAuricles: pointed, claw-like• Collar: broad, continuousCollar: broad, continuous

Annual ryegrassAnnual ryegrass

awnsawns

foldedfoldedrolledrolled

Annual ryegrass Perennial ryegrass

BermudagrassBermudagrass ((Cynodon Cynodon spp.)spp.)

• Most common southern turfgrass; highly Most common southern turfgrass; highly variable variable

• Several species and hybrids:Several species and hybrids:– Common = Common = Cynodon dactylonCynodon dactylon (18 chromosomes) (18 chromosomes)

– African = African = C. transvaalensisC. transvaalensis (36 chromosomes) (36 chromosomes)

– Hybrids: Hybrids: C. dactylonC. dactylon x x C. transvaalensis;C. transvaalensis; Sterile Sterile

BermudagrassBermudagrass

• Vernation: foldedVernation: folded• Ligule: fringe of hairsLigule: fringe of hairs• Auricles: noneAuricles: none• Collar: continuous, narrow to broadCollar: continuous, narrow to broad• Blades: flat, 1.5 - 4 mm wide, smooth or hairy Blades: flat, 1.5 - 4 mm wide, smooth or hairy

above & belowabove & below• Growth habit: stoloniferous, rhizomatousGrowth habit: stoloniferous, rhizomatous

BermudagrassBermudagrass

ZoysiaZoysia

Zoysia Zoysia ((Zoysia Zoysia spp.)spp.)

• Three species used for turf:Three species used for turf:– Japanese lawngrass = Japanese lawngrass = ZoysiaZoysia japonicajaponica– Manilagrass = Manilagrass = Zoysia matrellaZoysia matrella– Mascarenegrass = Mascarenegrass = Zoysia tenuifoliaZoysia tenuifolia

ZoysiaZoysia

• Vernation: rolledVernation: rolled• Auricles: noneAuricles: none• Ligule: fringe of hairsLigule: fringe of hairs• Collar: broad, continuous, w/ long hairsCollar: broad, continuous, w/ long hairs• Blades: flat, 2-4 mm wide, stiff, long hairs on Blades: flat, 2-4 mm wide, stiff, long hairs on

top (bottom)top (bottom)• Growth habit: stoloniferous, rhizomatousGrowth habit: stoloniferous, rhizomatous

pointed, stiff,pointed, stiff,upright leavesupright leaves

ZoysiaZoysia

CentipedegrassCentipedegrass ((Eremochloa ophiuroidesEremochloa ophiuroides))

• Moderately coarse -Moderately coarse -texturedtextured

• StoloniferousStoloniferous• Adaptation and UsesAdaptation and Uses

– Coastal, southern Coastal, southern transition zonetransition zone

– Lawns, rights-of-wayLawns, rights-of-way

• Use is increasingUse is increasing

CentipedegrassCentipedegrass

• Coarse-texturedCoarse-textured• StoloniferousStoloniferous• Leaf blade constricted at the baseLeaf blade constricted at the base

St. AugustinegrassSt. Augustinegrass