Perennial Ryegrass grows from 1 to 2 feet tall with a bunchy form, and has medium longevity. Some turn varieties are longer lived. There are numerous long, narrow stiff leaves near the base of the plant. Italian Ryegrass is quite similar to Perennial Ryegrass except it is an annual or biennial, depending on climate and/or length of growing season. It may grow a little taller than Perennial Ryegrass from 2 to 3 feet tall. The seeds of this sub-species have awns.

USES: Perennial Ryegrass is a valuable forage and soil stabilization plant. This species is the predominant forage grass in Europe, and has been used in the United States for forage and lawns.

ADAPTATION: These grasses have a wide range of adaptability to soils, but thrive best on dark rich soils in regions having mild climates. They do not withstand hot, dry weather or sever winter. They will stand fairly wet soils with reasonable good surface drainage. Perennial Ryegrass is distributed throughout the entire United States.

ESTABLISHMENT: A fine, firm seedbed gives the best results. Mulched seedings on graded soil germinate readily. Spring seedings of ryegrass may occur in March, April, or May. Perennial Ryegrass may also be seeding mid-August to early September. Seeding rates will vary with local conditions and purpose of plantings.

MANAGEMENT: Ryegrass is generally cut for hay when seed is in the soft-dough stage. Ryegrass responds well to good management, such as intensive rotational grazing and fertilizer applications.