Annual ryegrass is a winter annual or biennial weed in the grass family native to Europe. It is found in all areas of NC. Annual ryegrass should be used as turfgrass only when a temporary turf cover is needed in the winter. It is never recommended for permanent lawn mixtures because it dies in late spring when temperatures approach 80ºF or higher. It is sometimes found in inexpensive commercial seed mixtures, and those should be avoided. It is a weed in tall fescue lawns. Because annual ryegrass is an annual, it must be reseeded each fall. Annual ryegrass has been used by some homeowners to overseed bermudagrass lawns to provide winter color. It is never recommended for overseeding other warm-season grasses. Annual ryegrass is also used in farming as a cover crop and for silage. It can become invasive in temperate climates in agricultural areas and in native habitats. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall with numerous long, narrow, stiff leaves near the base of the plant. Both surfaces of the leaves are bright, glossy, and smooth. A flowering spike, 6 to 10 inches long, forms with alternate spikelets. Blooming can occur spring to fall. Upon maturity, each fertile floret is replaced by an elongated grain. It prefers rich, moist soils in areas with mild climates but is adaptable to other soils. It does not survive harsh winters or hot dry summers.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
2-3 feet long narrow shiny green leaves are sharp-pointed, with a bright green, dull upper surface, deeply ridged, lower surface smooth, glossy and slightly creased, with smooth edges.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Panicle
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Spike with spikelets.
Bloom time
Winter
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe
Distribution
Throughout USA and worldwide.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Garden tags
#winter annual weed #cool season weed #cool season grass #cover crop #annual grass #turfgrass #weedy
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Wireworms in Turf; Green June Beetles in Turfgrass
Disease problems
Gray Snow Mold in Turf
Other problems
Organic Lawn Care: A Guide to Organic Lawn Maintenance and Pest Management for North Carolina