Poa Annua / Annual Bluegrass

Poa annua, commonly known as annual bluegrass, is one of the most widespread and frustrating grassy weeds in the world. It is a winter annual that germinates in the late summer and early fall as soil temperatures begin to drop. It grows vigorously through the winter and early spring, forming unsightly, light-green clumps that stand out starkly against the darker green of a healthy tall fescue lawn.

The most frustrating aspect of Poa annua is its prolific seed production. In early spring, it produces hundreds of white seed heads, even when mowed extremely short. These seed heads give the lawn a patchy, white appearance. As the heat of summer arrives, the Poa annua dies off completely, leaving behind ugly brown dead patches and thousands of seeds waiting for the fall.