Meadow Creeping Foxtail (Alopecurus arundinacea)

Meadow Foxtail

An early, fast growing, dark-green grass that looks similar to timothy. It grows well on moist soils and forms a sod.

The sheath is split with the margins overlapping. The blade is 3-8 mm wide, 10-15 cm long and flat with a sharp-pointed tip; the edges are rough. The upper surface is prominently ribbed. The light-green or yellow, medium-broad collar is divided by the midrib. There are no auricles. The ligule is a coarse membrane that is slightly hairy and striated. The stems are round and 50-100 cm tall. The inflorescence is a dense, spike-like panicle and looks like timothy. The short, soft awns along the sides of the seed head give the appearance of a fox's tail.

Distinguishing features

The rough leaf edges, the type of ligule, and the collar divided by the midribs distinguish meadow foxtail from timothy.

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