SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 972.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "972" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

velvet bentgrass

Scientific Name: Agrostis canina

Family: Poaceae

Category: Monocot

Growth: Graminoid

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Velvet Bentgrass (Agrostis canina)

Velvet bentgrass, scientifically known as Agrostis canina, is a fine-textured perennial grass prized for its use in creating dense, high-quality turf, particularly on golf course greens.

Considerations for Pets and Children

  • This grass is known for its fine texture and dense growth, which might be appealing to pets and children.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Agrostis canina
  • Common Names: Velvet bentgrass, Velvet bent
  • Family: Poaceae (Grass Family)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Velvet bentgrass is a perennial grass species found growing throughout Europe.
  • It is also considered native to the northeast region of the United States, where it can be found growing on older estates, parks, and golf course fairways.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • It has the finest texture of all the bent grasses.
  • Known for its fine texture and high shoot density, forming a unique velveteen turf surface.
  • It is a low-growing, fine-textured perennial species.
  • Compared to colonial bentgrass, velvet bentgrass has a less upright growth habit.
  • Spreads via stolons, more aggressively than colonial bentgrass, but less aggressively than creeping bentgrass.

Ecological Role

  • Under reduced nitrogen and water conditions, velvet bentgrass exhibits vigorous growth.
  • Its dense sward helps prevent the invasion of Poa annua (annual bluegrass).

Cultivation and Use

  • Primarily used on golf course greens due to its ability to tolerate close cutting.
  • Requires similar upkeep and maintenance to Creeping Bentgrass.
  • Needs reduced nitrogen and water conditions to thrive.
  • Used in seed mixtures known as South German bentgrass in the early 20th century in the USA.

Varieties

  • Vesper velvet bentgrass is a newer variety known for superior heat stress tolerance.
  • SR7200 is a velvet bentgrass variety released by Seed Research to meet the environmental needs of golf course professionals.

Resources and Further Information

  • Ctesy A. J. Turgeon.
  • URI - Department of Plant Sciences.