Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum (Annual ryegrass)
Formerly L. multiflorum. Cool season, annual bunchgrass adapted to many sites where adequate water is available. Establishes quickly and easily. Highly palatable to livestock and wildlife. Excellent for temporary pasture or for early spring growth in a perennial pasture mix. Use in erosion control blends for quick, temporary cover. Also used for winter over-seeding of dormant warm season Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) lawns in the south and southwest. Varieties listed below.
DISTRIBUTION / ADAPTATION
INFORMATION & ATTRIBUTES
Family: Poaceae
Duration: Annual
Growth Habit: Graminoid
Native Status: Introduced
Season: Cool
Growth Form: Bunchgrass
Mature Height: 29 in.
Annual Precipitation: 18-65 in.
Drought Tolerance: Low
Shade Tolerance: Intermediate
Elevation:
Fire Resistance: No
Fire Tolerance: Low
SOIL ADAPTATION
Coarse Texture: Yes
Medium Texture: Yes
Fine Texture: Yes
Salinity Tolerance: Medium
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
pH Range: 5.0-7.9
SEEDING NOTES
Seeds per Pound: 217,000
Seeding Rate: 8-16 PLS lbs/acre
Season: Fall
Days to Germination:
VARIETIES
Ed - High forage yields, even after extended periods below freezing. Improved crown rust resistance.
Gulf - Developed as winter forage for livestock. High forage production and seed yield. Resistant to rust. Susceptible to winter killing. (Released 1958)