logo Wild Flower Web
Back

Click here to search for a different flower

Search

[?]

Open the Advanced Search

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass

Poa angustifolia

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
For more information please download the BSBI Code of Conduct PDF document.

Contents

Plant Profile

Flowering Months:
JAN  FEB  MAR  APR  MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG  SEP  OCT  NOV  DEC
Order:
Poales
Family:
Poaceae (Grass)
Also in this family:
Alpine Catstail, Alpine Foxtail, Alpine Meadow-grass, Annual Beard-grass, Annual Meadow-grass, Arrow Bamboo, Barren Brome Grass, Bearded Couch Grass, Bearded Fescue, Bermuda Grass, Black Bent, Black Grass, Blue Fescue, Blue Moor-grass, Bog Hair-grass, Borrer's Saltmarsh Grass, Bread Wheat, Bristle Bent, Brown Bent, Brown Sedge, Bulbous Foxtail, Bulbous Meadow-grass, California Brome Grass, Canary Grass, Carnation Sedge, Cocksfoot, Cockspur, Common Bent, Common Cord-grass, Common Millet, Common Reed, Common Saltmarsh Grass, Compact Brome Grass, Corn, Couch Grass, Creeping Bent, Creeping Soft-grass, Crested Dog's-tail, Crested Hair-grass, Cultivated Oat, Curved Hard Grass, Cut Grass, Dense Silky Bent, Downy Oat-grass, Drooping Brome Grass, Drooping Tor Grass, Dune Fescue, Early Hair-grass, Early Meadow-grass, Early Sand-grass, False Brome Grass, False Oat-grass, Fern Grass, Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue, Flattened Meadow-grass, Floating Sweet-grass, Foxtail Barley, French Oat, Giant Fescue, Glaucous Meadow-grass, Great Brome Grass, Greater Quaking Grass, Grey Hair-grass, Hairy Brome Grass, Hairy Finger-grass, Hard Fescue, Hard Grass, Harestail Grass, Heath Grass, Holy Grass, Hybrid Marram Grass, Italian Rye Grass, Knotroot Bristlegrass, Lesser Hairy Brome Grass, Lesser Quaking Grass, Loose Silky Bent, Lyme Grass, Marram Grass, Marsh Foxtail, Mat Grass, Mat-grass Fescue, Meadow Barley, Meadow Fescue, Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Oat-grass, Mountain Melick, Narrow-leaved Small-reed, Neglected Couch Grass, Nit Grass, Orange Foxtail, Pampas Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Plicate Sweet-grass, Purple Moor-grass, Purple Small-reed, Purple-stem Catstail, Quaking Grass, Ratstail Fescue, Red Fescue, Reed Canary Grass, Reed Sweet-grass, Reflexed Saltmarsh Grass, Rescue Grass, Rough Meadow-grass, Rush-leaved Fescue, Sand Catstail, Sand Couch Grass, Scandinavian Small-reed, Scottish Small-reed, Sea Barley, Sea Couch Grass, Sea Fern Grass, Sheep's Fescue, Silver Hair-grass, Six-rowed Barley, Slender Brome Grass, Small Cord-grass, Small Sweet-grass, Smaller Catstail, Smooth Brome Grass, Smooth Cord-grass, Smooth Finger-grass, Smooth Meadow-grass, Soft Brome Grass, Somerset Hair-grass, Sorghum, Spreading Meadow-grass, Squirreltail Fescue, Stiff Brome Grass, Stiff Saltmarsh Grass, Sweet Vernal Grass, Tall Fescue, Timothy Grass, Tor Grass, Tufted Hair-grass, Two-rowed Barley, Upright Brome Grass, Velvet Bent, Viviparous Fescue, Wall Barley, Wavy Hair-grass, Wavy Meadow-grass, Whorl Grass, Wild Oat, Wood Barley, Wood Fescue, Wood Meadow-grass, Wood Melick, Wood Millet, Yellow Oat-grass, Yorkshire Fog
Type:
Flower
Life Cycle:
Perennial
Maximum Size:
90 centimetres tall
Habitats:
Beaches, grassland, meadows, rocky places, sand dunes, seaside, walls, wasteland, woodland.

Flower:
֍
Green, no petals
 
The flower is a compact seed head.
Fruit:
A dry, one-sided seed, known as a caryopsis.
Leaves:
Long, linear, wiry leaf blades. Similar in appearance to Smooth Meadow-grass (Poa pratensis) but greyer and more wiry.
Other Names:
Narrowleaf Bluegrass, Slim Bluegrass.
Frequency (UK):
Occasionally seen  

Similar Species

Smooth Meadow-grass
Smooth Meadow-grass

Spreading Meadow-grass

Other Information

Summary

Poa angustifolia, also known as narrowleaf bluegrass or slim bluegrass, is a perennial grass species native to North America, Europe, and Asia. It is typically found in a wide range of habitats, including meadows, pastures, and rocky or sandy areas. The plant has narrow leaves and small, blue-green inflorescences. Poa angustifolia is a cool-season grass and is often used for forage and turf. It is also considered an invasive species in some areas.

Blog

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass, also known as Poa angustifolia, is a common grass species found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. It belongs to the Poaceae family, which includes other important species like wheat, rice, and barley. Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is a cool-season grass that thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is commonly found in meadows, pastures, and along roadsides.

Appearance and Characteristics

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is a perennial grass that can grow up to 90 cm tall. Its leaves are narrow and pointed, and can grow up to 30 cm in length. The plant has a compact, dense growth habit and produces seedheads with small, greenish flowers that bloom from May to July.

Uses and Benefits

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass has several uses and benefits. It is a popular species for pasture and hay production, as it is highly palatable and nutritious for livestock. It is also used for erosion control and as a groundcover in landscaping and reclamation projects. In addition, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is a good source of food for wildlife, providing seeds for birds and small mammals.

Cultivation and Maintenance

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is a relatively easy grass species to cultivate and maintain. It prefers moist, well-drained soils and thrives in cool, temperate climates. It can be grown from seed and should be planted in the fall or early spring. The plant requires regular irrigation during the growing season and should be mowed regularly to maintain a height of 5-10 cm. In addition, it is important to control weeds and pests that may compete with or damage the plant.

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is an important grass species with several uses and benefits. It is easy to cultivate and maintain, making it a popular choice for pasture and hay production, erosion control, and landscaping. If you are looking for a reliable and versatile grass species for your property, consider Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass as a viable option.

Additional Information

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is also known for its environmental benefits. It has a deep root system that helps prevent soil erosion and improves soil structure and fertility. This grass species also plays a crucial role in carbon sequestration, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change.

One of the key advantages of Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is its ability to withstand grazing and trampling by livestock. This makes it an ideal species for pasture and grazing land. It is also highly tolerant of cold temperatures and can survive frost and snow cover.

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is a popular choice for golf course greens and fairways, as well as sports fields and parks. It is valued for its fine texture and uniform appearance, which provide a smooth and consistent playing surface. Its ability to tolerate heavy traffic and wear makes it an ideal choice for high-use areas.

In terms of conservation, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is an important species for maintaining biodiversity in grassland ecosystems. It provides habitat and food for a variety of insect and bird species, including several threatened and endangered species.

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is also used in the production of forage and silage. Silage is a fermented feed made from green fodder that is stored in a silo and used to feed livestock during the winter months when fresh pasture is not available. Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is an excellent source of high-quality forage and can be used alone or in combination with other grasses and legumes to produce a nutritious and palatable feed for livestock.

In addition, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is used in the production of turfgrass sod. Turfgrass sod is grown on special farms and harvested in strips or rolls for use in landscaping and sports fields. Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is valued for its fine texture and uniform growth, which make it an ideal choice for high-end residential and commercial landscapes.

Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is also a useful species for ecological restoration and habitat enhancement projects. It is often used in reclamation projects to restore degraded grasslands and improve soil quality. Its deep root system helps to stabilize slopes and prevent erosion, while its ability to tolerate a wide range of growing conditions makes it well-suited for restoration projects in a variety of environments.

Overall, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass is a versatile and valuable species that offers a range of benefits for agriculture, landscaping, conservation, and ecological restoration. Its adaptability, hardiness, and environmental benefits make it a reliable choice for a variety of applications, from forage production to golf courses to habitat restoration projects.

Distribution Map

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

Click to open an Interactive Map