SafePlants

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.)

Orchardgrass, also known as cock's-foot or cocksfoot, is a widely grown perennial bunchgrass valued for forage and hay production.

Considerations for Pets:

• Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay is marketed as a green, fruity-smelling grass hay enjoyed by many small animals.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature:

• Scientific Name: Dactylis glomerata L.
• Common Names: Orchardgrass, Cock's-foot, Cocksfoot
• Dactylis is a genus within the bluegrass subfamily of the grass family, Poaceae.

Distribution and Habitat:

• Orchardgrass is native to Eurasia and North Africa.
• It has been introduced to the United States and is distributed throughout much of the northeastern US and California (up to 8200 feet/2500 m), except for desert regions.
• It is well-adapted throughout Missouri, although persistence can be problematic on south-facing slopes with droughty, shallow soils, such as those in the Ozark Mountains.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits:

• Orchardgrass is a perennial, cool-season, tall-growing bunchgrass.
• It lacks rhizomes or stolons and grows in clumps, producing an open sod.
• The plant starts growth early in the spring, develops rapidly, and flowers in May (under Pennsylvania conditions).
• Key characteristics include a flattened leaf sheath, tall membranous ligule, and blue-green blades. Auricles are absent.

Ecological Role:

• Orchardgrass can be a common perennial weed of turf and a contaminant in commercial tall fescue seed.

Uses:

• Its primary use is for pasture and hay for a variety of livestock, including cattle, sheep, goats, and horses.
• Orchardgrass is used in wildlife food plots for deer, turkey, and quail.
• It is also used for erosion control, as fodder and silage, as natural ground cover, and to enhance nitrogen in the soil.

Interactions with Other Organisms:

• Haymate XL Brand is designed as a companion crop to alfalfa.