Forages: Topics

Barnyard grass Echinochloa muricata Beauv.	Annual 1-3 ft.	Overlapping	5-15 mm wide Flat with rough edges	Broad	None	None	Round & Branching at Nodes	Panicle of Spike-like branches	Found in late summer/early fall. Seed structures purplish and covered with short stiff bristles.
Bermudagrass Cynodon dactylon L.	Perennial/ Annual 1-2 ft	Papery	8-15 mm wide Hairy on top & bottom	Narrow	None	Fringe of Hairs	Prostrate & upright	3-7 Spiked branches originating from a single whorl	Spreads by both Stolons &.Rhizomes. Found as a Perennial only in very southern PA and further south.
Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii Vitman	Perennial 7-9 ft	Split, hairy	10-14 mm wide Smooth with fringe of hairs at junction of blade and Sheath	Narrow	None	Short membrane	Round & upright	Raceme, Red in color	Stems purplish at base. Awns in seed clusters makes Inflorescence look hairy.
Crabgrass (Large) Digitaria sanguinalis L.	Annual 2-3 ft	Overlapping	5-12 mm wide Rough edges with hairs on both sides Red-purple color	Broad & divided	None	Membrane Rounded at top	Upright to Prostrate	3-10 Spiked branches in whorls at top of stem	Found in late summer/early fall.
Crabgrass (Smooth) Digitaria ischaemum L.	Annual 1-2 ft	Overlapping	5-12 mm wide with no hairs on either side. More purplish than Large Crabgrass	Broad & divided	None	Membrane Rounded at top	Upright or Prostrate	3-10 Spiked branches in whorls at top of stem	Found in lawns or heavily grazed pastures in late summer/early fall.
Fall panicum Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx.	Annual 1-4 ft	Overlapping	10-20 mm wide Smooth or sparsely hairy near base	Broad	None	Fringe of hairs	Upright to Prostrate	Fine, wide-spreading Panicle	Found in late summer/early fall.
Giant foxtail Setaria faberi.	Annual 3-6 ft	Overlapping Edges are hairy	10-20 mm wide Hairy on top & smooth on bottom	Broad & hairy on edges	None	Fringe of hairs	Round & upright	Spike-like Panicle, bristly, drooping	Inflorescence bushy like a fox's tail. Hairy blade is key to identification.
Green foxtail Setaria viridis L.	Annual 1-3 ft	Overlapping Edges are hairy	5-12 mm wide Not hairy on top or bottom	Broad & sometimes hairy	None	Fringe of hairs	Round & upright	Spike-like Panicle, bristly	Inflorescence bushy like a fox's tail and slightly purple in color. No hairs on leaves.
Italian ryegrass Lolium italicum Parn.	Annual-to- Perennial 1-2 ft	Overlapping	2-6 mm wide Flat & pointed at tip. Waxy	May be divided	Overlapping	Membrane, Rounded at top	Round-to-flat	Slender stiff Spike with Awns	Short growing Bunchgrass with waxy leaves that are shiny. Spikelet edge against stem.
Kentucky bluegrass Poa pratenis L.	Perennial 1-2 ft	Split	2-5 mm wide Boat-shaped tip	Broad	None	Very short membrane	Round-to-flat	Fine-Panicle	Sod -grass (short Rhizomes) Dark green. Invades overgrazed pastures
Nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Gmel.	Perennial 1-2 ft	Split & overlapping	2-4 mm wide Rough on top with hairs behind ligule	Narrow	None	Short Membrane	Mostly Prostrate	Many fine, slender Panicles	Sod-forming (Stolons). Flowers in late summer to early fall.
Orchardgrass Dactylis glomerata L.	Perennial 1-3 ft	Split	5-12 mm wide V-shaped at base Flat & pointed at tip	Broad & Divided	None	White membrane Pointed at top	Flat	Course-Panicle	Bunchgrass Light green in color
Perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne L.	Perennial 1-2 ft.	Overlapping	2-6 mm wide Folded in shoot V-shaped, Waxy	Narrow May be divided	Short	Membrane Toothed at top	Round-to-flat	Slender stiff Spike No Awns	Short growing Bunchgrass with waxy leaves that are shiny. Spikelet placed with edge against stem.
Quackgrass Elytrigia repens.	Perennial 1-3 ft	Overlapping with hairs	5-10 mm wide Slightly hairy on upper surface	Broad & divided	Long-clasping	Short membrane	Round	Slender stiff Spike	Sod forming with prominent fast spreading Rhizomes. Spikelet flat against stem
Red top Agrostis gigantea Roth	Perennial 1-3 ft	Overlapping	2-7 mm wide Flat	Broad & V-shaped	None	Tall membrane	Round	Panicle Rust colored at maturity	Sod-grass (short Rhizomes). Prominent ridges on upper surface of blade.
Reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea L.	Perennial 1-6 ft	Overlapping	10-20 mm wide Flat with rough edges	Narrow & continuous Yellow	None	Prominent membrane	Round	Panicle	Sod forming (prominent Rhizomes).
Smooth bromegrass Bromus inermis L.	Perennial 1-3 ft	Closed	4-12 mm wide Flat & pointed at tip	Narrow & divided	None	Short membrane	Round	Large Panicle, often drooping	Young plants may have pubescence on Sheath. Rhizomes covered with brown papery scales.
Switchgrass Panicum virgatum L.	Perennial 3-8 ft	Split, with hairy margin	7-14 mm wide Hairy on top	Broad, often with hairs	None	Fringe of short Hairs	Round & upright	Large Panicle	Leaves covered with hairs. Spreads by Rhizomes
Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea Schreb.	Perennial 1-3 ft	Overlapping	5-10 mm wide Dark green Very rough edges	Broad & divided. Wrinkled on edges	Blunt with few hairs	Short membrane	Round	Spreading Panicle	Bunchgrass Prominently veined, leathery, dark green leaves with rough edges.
Timothy Phleum pretense L.	Perennial 2-3 ft	Overlapping	4-12 mm wide Flat & pointed at tip	Broad & continuous	None	White membrane with two notches	Round	Spike-like Panicle	Bunchgrass with corms (onion-like bulb at base of stem)
Witchgrass Panicum capillare L.	Annual 1-3 ft	Overlapping, hairy	8-15 mm wide Hairy on top & bottom	Narrow	None	Fringe of hairs	Round & upright	Large Panicle	Leaves covered with hairs. Large Panicle often breaking off of stem.
Yellow foxtail Setaria glauca.	Annual 1-3 ft	Overlapping Not hairy	5-10 mm wide Hairy only on top near base of blade	Broad & hairy on edges	None	Fringe of hairs	Round & upright	Spike-like Panicle, bristly	Inflorescence is bushy like a fox's tail. Hairs only on upper surface of blade near base.

Common Grasses Found in Pennsylvania Hay and Pasture Fields