About Perennial Ryegrass

• a short-lived perennial bunchgrass
• shallow, fibrous root system
• leaves are predominantly basal, dense, dark green, glossy and folded when young
• the seed stems are nearly leafless, 30 to 60 cm tall and terminate in a slender stiff spike with spikelets at right angles to each other

• area of adaptation is limited to the moist parts of the Black and Gray Wooded Soil zones and irrigation
• prefers medium to highly fertile soils but will grow in clay loams to heavy clay soils which are imperfectly drained
• moderately winter hardy
• winter kill can be a problem in the Central and Northern parts of Alberta - in these areas perennial ryegrass should be treated as an annual grass
• does not tolerate extreme heat, cold or drought
• does not tolerate ponding

• relatively low yielding for hay because of its low growth habit, but if harvested soon after the pollen is shed it will produce good regrowth for grazing
• good for grazing, grows quickly and can be utilized within two months of planting
• has to be grazed heavily and works well as an annual or short-lived perennial in a rotational grazing program
• when grazed heavily yields palatable nutritious forage; if it gets ahead of the livestock it soon becomes coarse and unpalatable

This information is maintained by: Henry Najda
Last Revised/Reviewed June 1, 2005

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