Wild pasture grasses

scott#2 · May 12, 2013

I have been all over the web trying to ID these grasses. A couple of abandoned pastures are loaded with these. I was thinking of getting them in shape for hay and other forage crops by next spring. About the best I can do is # 2 and 3 bluegrass? Much larger stalks and flowers than the bluegrass i in the yard though. Wild barley, 4th from left? Orchard grass, far right? Doesnt have the right flower pattern though. Trying to decide whether to replanet or work (multiple cuttings) with this for a while.

Thanks

Fergienewbee · May 13, 2013

I'm no expert, barely a novice but I agree the far right sure looks like orchard grass. Maybe a height indication might help. Are the grasses all tall or are a couple short?

Larry

Kerry50 · May 13, 2013

I'm a thinkin #4 is fescue and #5 is orchard grass.

randallinMo · May 13, 2013

Best eduacated guess: Left to right, Cheat or downy brome, bluegrass, switchgrass, ryegrass and orchardgrass.

Fergienewbee · May 13, 2013

Don't think #4 is switch grass. Switch has more filmy, for lack of a better word, branching.

Larry

Fergienewbee · May 13, 2013

Oops! I mean #3 isn't switch.

Larry

scott#2 · May 13, 2013

All these are a foot or taller. With everyones guesses and a little more research, I found a few things.

Still at lunch on #1. I didn't check the grass it's self, the plant has anywhere from 4 to 7 of these seedheads and that is all. No leaves on the stem or skyward, all leaves are close to ground and the seed stalks are over a foot tall. Only a few of these I can find, no where near as common as everything else pictured. To me that means pull it.

Neat site here

http://www.aragriculture.org/forage_pasture/plant_id/grasses/

I dont know if 2 is bluegrass or not. Looks like it but most bg seedheads, in a lawn anyways, are only 2 or 3 inches tall. The #2 in the pic is a foot or better in the field. Maybe a big bg or just really healthy?

4 is tall fescue.

http://raleigh.weedmanusa.com/fescue-seed-head-identification.html

I think 3 & 5 are both orchard. Immature and mature

http://turfid.ncsu.edu/csPagedPdField.aspx?PlantID=DACGL

Thanks for the pointers an motivation everyone.

scott#2

randallinMo · May 13, 2013

Good call on 3 and 5. I sure didn't consider the "immature" stage of orchardgrass. True to form...........looks just like immature orchardgrass. I"m still calling #4 ryegrass.....based upon the photo we're looking at. Sure enjoyed the puzzle.

Ecnerwal · May 15, 2013

(quoted from post at 21:34:07 05/13/13)
I dont know if 2 is bluegrass or not. Looks like it but most bg seedheads, in a lawn anyways, are only 2 or 3 inches tall. The #2 in the pic is a foot or better in the field. Maybe a big bg or just really healthy?

I am NOT a grass expert - but I do know that the same plant can behave very differently under mowing pressure, or lack therof. As such, I would not be the least bit surprised to find bluegrass in a field growing much taller than bluegrass in a lawn.

Heck, I can get that much variation in the same dandelion plant just by mowing it a couple of times. More desirable plants like clover as well. I've been fighting parts of the orchard I "lost" the last year or two back into shape this spring...

Wild pasture grasses

scott#2

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Fergienewbee

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Kerry50

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randallinMo

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Fergienewbee

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Fergienewbee

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scott#2

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randallinMo

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Ecnerwal

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