Short and inconspicuous introduced weedy annual from 2-10 inches tall growing in bunches (B), sometimes forming large mats (C). The flat, narrow blades are up to 5 inches long and no more than 1/8 inch wide. Flowering stems may be erect or, more often, spreading. Each bears an open panicle from 1-6 inches long which has rather prominent spikelets (D) containing from 2-6 florets at the tips of the solitary or paired panicle branches.
Moist areas along trails, roadsides, ditches, lawns, gardens, waste areas. In Fontenelle Forest annual Bluegrass is common along trails in Childs Hollow. It is common at Neale Woods on the trail in Raccoon Hollow. Flowering occurs from April to October, but mostly in May and June.
None of the other short grasses under 1 foot tall growing along or on our paths have open panicles with prominent spikelets like those of annual Bluegrass. Unlike our other common and generally taller species of bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Woodland Bluegrass (Poa sylvestris) which have several whorled panicle branches at each node, Annual Bluegrass has only one or two. Canada Bluegrass (Poa compressa) has a branching pattern similar to Annual Bluegrass, but is easily separated by its flat stems.
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