How to Identify Grass Plants

There is estimated to be around 10,000 different types of grass in the world, from turf grass to bamboo. If you are uncertain about the type of grass plant that is growing near you and you want to find out more, it can get complicated. It's not impossible, but it is akin to taking a mini-botany class. Learning the terminology becomes a necessity unless you are already aware of panicles, inflorescence, and glumes. It is like putting together a puzzle and will take some time and effort. Maybe matching pictures will be more your style.

Instructions

1. Pick some of the grass plants in question for reference. The main identifiers to learn about and pay close attention to are the stems called culms and the seedhead or inflorescence, which is the top part of the stem and in many grasses can be flowerlike. These are major characteristics to take note of whether you are trying to establish the identity of an ornamental grass or a turf grass.

2. Go online to a resource offered by the National Plant Data Center at usda.gov. Remember to keep a sample of the plant right next to you when checking the website, for easy reference. Find your state under the heading "Grasses" and click where it says "On-line." It will open up in a new window with a page with a long list of descriptive characteristics for you to click on if those characteristics are like the grass you are trying to identify. When you have selected what you feel best describes your grass click on the button in the upper right hand of the screen that says "Matching Taxa." You will see a column on the left of the screen that says "All Taxa" with some scientific names listed for you to click on to learn more about that type of grass and to see a picture of the grass; see if it is a match with yours. You may have to repeat the steps and use more characteristic traits until you find the grass plant you are trying to identify. Remember that the terms are not everyday words that most people know--but you can find the definition quickly by highlighting the word in the characteristics list and going to the top of your screen where it says "Lookup." It will open to a search page with the definition.

3. Look at pictures online to help you find a match if you are looking to identify ornamental grasses. Santa Rosa Gardens has a website with a lengthy list and pictures of the most popular types of ornamental grasses to compare yours with.

4. Go to the library or a bookstore and find a book about the various types of grasses. Some books have many more pictures and information than the Internet to help you determine the identity of a particular grass plant.

5. Ask a local gardening center or nursery for help in identifying your grass. Take a picture with you, or better yet take some of the grass to see if the staff can help you match it.

References

• Grass Identification
• National Plant Data Center: Plants Identification Keys:
• Ornamental Grass Pictures

Resources

• Ornamental Grasses
• "The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses;" John Greenlee; 1992
• "Grasses: An Identification Guide;" Lauren Brown; 1992