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Grass Like

Phleum pratense

timothy grass

A common native grass growing in loose clumps with leafy stems up to 1m tall topped with cylindrical flowerheads up to 15cm long, producing copious pollen. It is the food plant of a number of moth and butterfly caterpillars

Other common names

cat's tail grass
herd's grass
see moremeadow cat's tail
rhonwellt

Synonyms

Phleum nodosum

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Tufted
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Europe, N Asia

How to grow

Cultivation

Found in meadows, pastures and rough ground, tolerating a wide range of conditions but preferring moist, fertile soil. Widely grown for hay

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildflower meadow
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Genreally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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