Scientific Family
Poaceae
Synonyms
Agrostis alba var. palustris, A. alba var. stolonoifera, A. maritima, A. palustris (see USDA for more)
Other common names
creeping bent
fiorin
spreading bent
carpet bentgrass or redtop
Plant type
Grasses
Riparian
Yes
Grass Description
Origin
Introduced
Season
Cool
Warm
Grows in areas that are periodically flooded such as lakesides, marshes, fields, meadows, forest openings, and stream banks. Also found in disturbed sites such as ditches, clearcuts, and overgrazed pastures. Used commercially as turfgrass.
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
4000
High elevation
10000
Similar species
Agrostis capillaris, common bent
General Description
Perennial bunchgrass with prostrate stems. Stoloniferous, rooting at the nodes and often forming a dense mat without rhizomes. Seedheads are erect and green changing to reddish in color with maturity.
Stoloniferous perennial. Seedhead branches are 3/4 to 2-1/2 inches long, spikelet bearing to their base. Distinguished from A. capillaris which has a short ligule that does not come to a point and flowers only in distal half of branches.
Grass type
Perennial mat or sod-forming
Rhizomes
No
Stolons
Yes
Clump Diameter 2 ft or more
No
Bushy - highly branched
No
Height with Seedheads
12 inches or more
Seedhead Structure
Branched - contracted
Seedhead droops
No
First bloom month
June
Last bloom month
September
Flower Characteristics
Flowers per Spikelet
One-flowered
Spikelets One-Sided
No
Awns
Absent
Three Awns
No
Awns bent
No
Flower and Seedhead Notes
Spikelets are red and tightly closed within the seedhead structure. Lower seedhead branches are whorled. Spikelets are laterally compressed, and have one fertile floret. Flowers are bisexual, 1 spike per stem, up to 16 inches tall.
Vegetative Characteristics
Blade is hairy
No
Blade margins white
No
Blade cross-section
Involute – rolled inward on upper surface
Leaves mostly basal and clasping. Leaf sheath mostly open or loose. Leaf blades linear and very narrow. Leaf blades are folded or rolled inward at edges. Leaves often have a bluish-gray color.
Sheath is hairy
No
Tufts of hair top of sheath or collar
No
Ligule
Membranous
Auricles
No
Creeping bentgrass is rated good in nutritional value for elk and mule deer, poor for pronghorn, and fair for white-tailed deer, small mammals,small nongame birds, upland game birds, and waterfowl. Energy rating is fair and protein content is poor.