TIMOTHY HAY

Timothy grass (Phleum pratense) is an abundant perennial grass native to most of Europe except for the Mediterranean region. It is also known simply as timothy, meadow cat’s-tail or common cat’s tail.  It is a member of the genus Phleum, consisting of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses.

Timothy grass can be confused with meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) and purple-stem cat’s-tail (Phleum phleoides).

It grows to 48–150 cm (19–59 in) tall, with leaves up to 43 centimetres (17 in) long and 1.3 centimetres (.5 in) broad. The leaves are hairless, rolled rather than folded, and the lower sheaths turn dark brown.

It has no stolons or rhizomes, and no auricles.

The flowerhead is 70–152 mm (2.75–6 in) long and 6.4–12.7 mm (.25–.5 in) broad, with densely packed spikelets. It flowers from June until September. The stamen are pink.

The ligule is short and blunt.

It grows well in heavy soil, and is noted for its resistance to cold and drought, and thus ability to grow in dry upland or poor sandy soils. In pasture it tends to be overwhelmed by more competitive grasses. After cutting it grows slowly.