New England Grasses

No official designation for New England grasses exists, but some grasses perform better than others in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. Perennial ryegrass thrives in the cold temperatures of the northernmost portions of the region. Tall fescue withstands the hot summers of the southernmost portions of the region. New England has a temperate climate with abundant rainfall and mostly clay or sandy soils. You should choose native and non-native species as well as cool- and warm-season species based on your site conditions.

Native and Non-native

New England grasses consist of native grasses that naturally grow in the area and non-native grasses that were introduced from outside the area. Native switch grass grows today just as it did when the European settlers arrived. Non-native Japanese stiltgrass grows in New England because it spread from the Southeast region. Japanese stiltgrass likely escaped cultivation in Asia and inadvertently made its way to United States through packing materials. It is an aggressive perennial grass that can take over landscapes.

Cool- and Warm-Season

New England grasses include cool- and warm-season grasses. Cool-season grasses such as Poa supina bluegrass start to grow early in spring. They go dormant in warm temperatures and do not grow again until fall. Warm-season grasses such as zoysia grass start to grow in late spring and go dormant when the temperatures turn cool in late summer.

Considerations

Grass plants of New England serve decorative and practical purposes. You can choose native bottlebrush as an ornamental grass in woodland settings, or little bluestem to help anchor sandy soils near the coast. Grasses for lawns include fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass. These are cool-season grasses that grow reasonably well throughout the region when planted as a standard species or in a seed mixture. Warm-season turf grasses are not hardy enough to survive the cold winters, but indiangrass works well as an ornamental near the coast.

Concerns

Humidity and atmospheric drought make grass plants of New England susceptible to disease and pest infestations. Ice damage and desiccation can kill grass in winter. Other fungal diseases, such as gray snow mold and leaf spot, can discolor lawns in spring and summer. The damage caused by these diseases usually dissipates with proper mowing and leaf removal. It is also helpful to water the lawn in the morning so that the grass has enough time to dry, thus reducing the chance for fungal infection.

References

University of Rhode Island: Selection of Turf Grasses

http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/selectturf.html

National Park Service: Japanese Stiltgrass

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/mivi.htm

Cornell Cooperative Extension: Native Grasses

http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Images/Uploads/PDFs/themeareas/CComm-Habitat/NativeGrasses.pdf