Knowledgebase
31" tall bluegrass in 100% shade #869263
Asked May 20, 2024, 1:34 PM EDT
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
I am unable to answer your question based on my research and will try to get it reassigned to someone with more grass knowledge. .
Thanks for the question. It has been assigned to me.
It is always challenging to ID grasses from just pictures. As I attempted to ID what you sent to me, I kept coming up with different possibilities. The certain thing is that it is some type of bluegrass. I’m afraid that only a microscopic examination of a specimen will enable the making of a final decision. Poa chiaxii has been reported in St. Louis County while you, of course, reside in Hennepin County. Although this may seem to rule out this possibility, one could conjure up scenarios whereby this species might have found its way south.
I considered the possibility that this could be a type of annual bluegrass (e.g., Poa annua). That seems unlikely as its height rarely approaches 12 inches.
Your suggestion that this may simply be common bluegrass seeking sun cannot be ruled out.
Here’s what I would suggest by which you could get an accurate ID. Contact the following:
Dr. Eric Watkins
Department of Horticultural Science
338 Alderman Hall
1970 Folwell Ave.
Saint Paul, MN 55108
Then check out this site from the University of Wisconsin. It has an excellent guide for grass identification as well as contact individuals at the university:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/identifying-grasses-wisconsin/
Mention to either resource that you have been referred to them from a University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener and you need to have a grass ID. That may or may not help you to get into the door.
Good luck. If you can, please let us know how things turn out. Thanks for consulting us.
Thanks for the question. It has been assigned to me.
It is always challenging to ID grasses from just pictures. As I attempted to ID what you sent to me, I kept coming up with different possibilities. The certain thing is that it is some type of bluegrass. I’m afraid that only a microscopic examination of a specimen will enable the making of a final decision. Poa chiaxii has been reported in St. Louis County while you, of course, reside in Hennepin County. Although this may seem to rule out this possibility, one could conjure up scenarios whereby this species might have found its way south.
I considered the possibility that this could be a type of annual bluegrass (e.g., Poa annua). That seems unlikely as its height rarely approaches 12 inches.
Your suggestion that this may simply be common bluegrass seeking sun cannot be ruled out.
Here’s what I would suggest by which you could get an accurate ID. Contact the following:
Dr. Eric Watkins
Department of Horticultural Science
338 Alderman Hall
1970 Folwell Ave.
Saint Paul, MN 55108
Then check out this site from the University of Wisconsin. It has an excellent guide for grass identification as well as contact individuals at the university:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/identifying-grasses-wisconsin/
Mention to either resource that you have been referred to them from a University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener and you need to have a grass ID. That may or may not help you to get into the door.
Good luck. If you can, please let us know how things turn out. Thanks for consulting us.
Glad to be of assistance. Please keep us apprised of events. Thanks for consulting us.
