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Annual Biennial

Poa annua

annual meadow grass

A low-growing, annual or occasionally perennial coarse grass, with light green leaf blades growing horizontally from a central point, and shallow, fibrous roots. It colonises bare ground and produces pale, pyramid-shaped panicles of flowers that seed prolifically from early spring to autumn, usually dying off after seeding.

Other common names

annual meadow grass
causeway grass
see morelow spear grass
Suffolk grass
common meadow grass

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained, Well–drained

pH

Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Tufted
Genus: Poa can be annual or perennial grasses forming clumps of linear leaves and open flowering panicles in summer
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grows well in moist conditions on any soil that isn't too acidic. In lawns, lightly raking before mowing will lift the stems for cutting. See advice on coarse grasses in lawns for more detail.

Propagation

Propagate by seed, produced prolifically throughout the growing season. In temperate climates seeds germinate in late summer and autumn, and the plant overwinters to flower in spring. Seeds can remain viable in the soil for at least four years

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Seedlings are shallow rooted and may be removed by hoeing on bare soil

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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