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Dactylis glomerata - orchardgrass

Scientific Family
Poaceae
Other common names
cocksfoot
Plant type
Grasses
Riparian
No

Grass Description

Origin
Introduced
Season
Cool
Warm

Thrives in moist shaded sites. Found in meadows, orchards, woodland borders, fence rows, pastures, and generally in areas that have undergone disturbance.

Plant Community
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
5000
High elevation
7500

General Description

Tall, tufted bunchgrass, very green with drooping leaves.

Densely tufted perennial bunchgrass, 8 to 55 inches tall, triangular seedheads on flattened stems; sheaths without hairs; ligules 1/4 inch long; blades elongate, 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide.

Grass type
Perennial bunchgrass
Rhizomes
Yes
Stolons
No
Clump Diameter 2 ft or more
No
Bushy - highly branched
No
Height with Seedheads
Greater than 36 inches
Seedhead Structure
Branched - contracted
Seedhead droops
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
October

Flower Characteristics

Flowers per Spikelet
Multi-flowered
Spikelets One-Sided
Yes
Awns
Less than 1/4 inch
Three Awns
No
Awns bent
No
Flower and Seedhead Notes

Seedheads with a few stiff rigid branches; spikelets nearly sessile in dense, 1 sided clusters at the ends of the branches. Seedheads spread only at flowering time. Spikelets 2 to 6 flowered.

Vegetative Characteristics

Blade is hairy
No
Blade margins white
No
Blade cross-section
Flat
Folded

Prominent rough midrib. Young leaf blades are sharply folded but open out flat as they mature. Leaf edges when rubbed toward the base have a sandpaper like feel.

Sheath is hairy
No
Tufts of hair top of sheath or collar
No
Ligule
Membranous
Auricles
No

Good to excellent for livestock and wildlife.