Could you please identify this grass? It is a very robust grass growing as single specimens. It grows from a little bulb, probably doesn't have too much root otherwise. I didn't see any leaves other than those growing along the flower stalk. They are glabrous. Stems are rounded. I am not sure if it is annual or perennial. It grows in full sun but can grow in full shade, too. It grows here up to 5 ft. tall. The soil is sandy, very dry, probably acidic, with little nitrogen in it.
aka timothy The grass most likely to be seen hanging from a farmer's mouth as they chew on the stem end, at least where I grew up (and in movies)
Not sure on that! Having tried chewing a few grasses like this, Dactylis glomerata is by far the nicest (quite sweet), whereas Phleum is somewhat bitter ;-)
Maybe this is related to the genetics of taste? People are polymorphic on the ability to sense the bitter taste, which is usually tested by phenylthiocarbamide. Sundrop, can you try this on your timothy?
It's a bit late in the summer to do taste tests now, the stems will be hard and dry. Try in late May or June, unless you can find a late-growing patch that was grazed or cut in the spring.
Hmm, not bad, kind of sweet. Dactylis is rather tasteless, probably because it is too dry, already in the seed ripening stage. Yes, will have to wait until spring to decide which is really my favourite. Sorry Michael, we have different genetics!
