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Wood Meadow-grass

Poa nemoralis

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Plant Profile
Other Information
Distribution Map

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 Meadow-grass, 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 Melick, Wood Millet, Yellow Oat-grass, Yorkshire Fog

Type:

Flower

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Maximum Size:

40 centimetres tall

Habitats:

Beaches, hedgerows, mountains, rocky places, sand dunes, seaside, woodland.

Flower:

Green, no petals

Well-separated, egg-shaped spikelets with 1 to 5 flowers.

Fruit:

The fruit is a caryopsis. The seeds are brown and about 1.5mm long.

Leaves:

A perennial grass found in deciduous woodland. The leaves are nearly at right-angles to the main stem. The leaves are up to 12cm long and 3mm wide. The ligules reach 5mm in length.

Other Names:

Sylvan Bluegrass, Wood Bluegrass, Woodland Meadow Grass.

Frequency (UK):

Common

Summary

Poa nemoralis, also known as wood bluegrass or wood meadow-grass, is a perennial grass species native to Europe, Asia, and North America. It is typically found in woodlands, forests, and other shady habitats, as well as rocky or sandy areas. The plant has narrow leaves and small, blue-green inflorescences. Poa nemoralis is a cool-season grass and is often used for forage and turf. It is also considered an invasive species in some areas. The Latin word "nemoralis" means "of woods" or "woodland", which refers to its natural habitat. It's known for its tolerance to shade and low light conditions, making it a good alternative for turf in those areas.

Blog

Wood Meadow-grass, Poa nemoralis, is a perennial grass species that is commonly found in woodlands, meadows, and grasslands across Europe and parts of Asia. This species is an important component of many natural and managed ecosystems, providing a wide range of ecological and economic benefits.

Description and Habitat

Wood Meadow-grass is a relatively small grass species, typically growing up to 30-40 cm tall. It has narrow, flat leaves that are slightly folded and pointed at the tip. The plant produces delicate, feathery flowerheads in early summer, which can range in color from pale green to purple. The seed heads are supported by thin, wiry stems that can bend in the wind.

Wood Meadow-grass is typically found in open woodlands, grasslands, and meadows, where it grows in well-drained soils with a pH range of 5.5 to 7.5. It can tolerate both full sun and partial shade, and is often found in mixed-species communities with other grasses, forbs, and shrubs.

Ecological Importance

Wood Meadow-grass plays an important ecological role in many ecosystems. It is often one of the first plant species to colonize disturbed or degraded areas, such as abandoned fields or logging sites. As it grows, it helps to stabilize the soil, prevent erosion, and create a microclimate that is more favorable for other plant species to establish.

Wood Meadow-grass is also an important source of food and habitat for a wide range of wildlife species. Its seeds and foliage are eaten by many small mammals, birds, and insects, and its dense, low-growing habit provides cover and nesting sites for ground-nesting birds and small mammals.

Cultural Importance

Wood Meadow-grass has also been used for centuries in human cultures for a variety of purposes. Historically, it was used as a forage crop for livestock, and its seeds were harvested and ground into flour for baking. Today, it is often used in landscaping and restoration projects, where it is valued for its aesthetic appeal and ability to stabilize soil and prevent erosion.

Conservation Status

Despite its ecological and cultural importance, Wood Meadow-grass is facing threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. In some areas, it has been displaced by non-native plant species or lost due to changes in land use. As a result, it is considered a species of conservation concern in some regions.

Efforts are underway to protect and conserve Wood Meadow-grass and other native plant species. This includes restoration projects that aim to create and maintain habitats that support a diverse array of plant and animal species, as well as efforts to reduce the impacts of human activities on natural ecosystems.

More Information

Wood Meadow-grass is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways. In addition to its ecological and cultural benefits, it has also been used for medicinal purposes in some cultures. Its seeds were believed to have diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties, and its leaves were used to treat skin conditions and digestive disorders.

Wood Meadow-grass is also a popular ornamental plant in gardens and landscaping. Its delicate flowerheads and low-growing habit make it an attractive addition to borders, rock gardens, and wildflower meadows. It is also used in restoration and conservation projects to create and maintain habitats that support a diverse array of plant and animal species.

However, despite its many benefits, Wood Meadow-grass is also considered a weed in some agricultural settings. Its ability to establish quickly and grow in a wide range of conditions can make it difficult to control in some situations. As a result, it is important to manage this species carefully to balance its ecological benefits with any potential negative impacts.

In conclusion, Wood Meadow-grass is a valuable plant species with a wide range of ecological, cultural, and economic benefits. Its versatility and adaptability make it an important component of many natural and managed ecosystems, and efforts to protect and conserve this species can help to maintain the health and vitality of our planet's biodiversity.

Some Facts about Wood Meadow-grass

Facts about Wood Meadow-grass, Poa nemoralis:

Wood Meadow-grass is a perennial grass species found in woodlands, meadows, and grasslands across Europe and parts of Asia.
It grows up to 30-40 cm tall with narrow, flat leaves and delicate, feathery flowerheads in early summer.
Wood Meadow-grass is important for stabilizing soil, preventing erosion, and providing habitat and food for wildlife.
It has cultural significance as a forage crop for livestock, a source of food and medicine, and an ornamental plant.
Wood Meadow-grass is facing threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation, and is considered a species of conservation concern in some regions.

Wood Meadow-grass, Poa nemoralis, is a small but important grass species that plays a vital role in many ecosystems. Its ecological and cultural significance highlights the importance of protecting and conserving native plant species, and the need for sustainable land use practices that support the health and vitality of natural ecosystems. Wood Meadow-grass is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways, including as an ornamental plant, for medicinal purposes, and in restoration and conservation projects. However, it is also considered a weed in some agricultural settings and must be managed carefully. Efforts to protect and conserve this species can help to maintain the health and vitality of our planet's biodiversity.

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

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Wood Meadow-grass

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Plant Profile

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