Introduction
The ability to correctly identify a range of different grass seeds is an important skill of a groundsman or greenkeeper.
This section provides a ready reference for identifying the four main genera used on turf, as well as a number of other seeds that may either be commonly encountered or are of interest for seed comparison purposes.
The four main genera:
- Lolium (Perennial Ryegrass: Lolium perenne)
- Festuca (Chewings Fescue: Festuca nigrescens)
- Agrostis (Browntop Bent: Agrostis capillaris)
- Poa (Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass: Poa pratensis)
Other seeds:
- Large leaved Timothy (Phleum pratense)
- Crested Dogstail (Cynosurus cristatus)
- Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa)
- Hard Fescue (Festuca longifolia)
- Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus)
- Annual Meadow Grass (Poa annua)
Perennial Ryegrass: Lolium perenne
Typical seed size = 5 - 7mm
Chewings Fescue: Festuca nigrescens
Typical seed size = 4 - 6mm
Browntop Bent: Agrostis capillaris
Typical seed size = 1 - 1½mm
Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass: Poa pratensis
Typical seed size = 2 - 2½mm
Other seeds:
Large leaved Timothy: Phleum pratense
Rarely used in sports and amenity turf situations nowadays.
Typical seed size = 1 - 1½mm.(width x length)
A similar size to the Agrostis seeds, but a broad, rounded oval shape.
Crested Dogstail: Cynosurus cristatus
No longer used. Previously used in the same sort of situations as perennial ryegrass in the 1960's, but the use of crested dogstail declined with the continued improvements made in perennial ryegrass cultivars.
Typical seed size = 3mm
Typically a golden straw colour and various shades of it.
Tufted Hairgrass: Deschampsia caespitosa
Used in some shaded, moist areas and included in some seed mixtures for modern football stadia.
Typical seed size = 2 - 2½mm
A very soft seed to touch, that has white silky hairs at the base of the seed.
Hard Fescue: Festuca longifolia
Used in dry and low wear areas.
Typical seed size = 4 - 5mm
Yorkshire Fog: Holcus lanatus
A weed seed sometimes found as an impurity in some seed mixtures.
Typical seed size = 2mm
Annual Meadow Grass: Poa annua
A weed seed sometimes found as an impurity in some seed mixtures.
Typical seed size = 2 - 2½mm