It is a cool season perennial grass with rapid growth. These grasses have many structural similarities and share a characteristic brush-like seed head that resembles the tail of a fox. The blade is 3-8 mm wide, 10-15 cm long and flat with a sharp-pointed tip; the edges are rough. Plants have a shallow, compact, fibrous roots that grow corms at the stem base. It generates large amounts of pollen and … The spike-like panicle is cylindrical and compact. Timothy grows to 48–150 cm (19–59 in) tall, with leaves up to 43 cm (17 in) long and 1.3 cm (0.5 in) broad. Grass yields in pasture grazing are clearly higher than those of e.g. Photo: Ohio State University. It flowers from June until September. To identify and differentiate foxtail grasses from other grasses, note where they grow and examine their stems, blades and seed heads. So how do we tell these similar looking plants apart? Timothy hay was once considered the best hay for horses and produced on a large scale for working horses in towns and cities. The foxtail seed head may droop over, which is a dead giveaway that it isn't timothy. About Timothy. Used infrequently in north Arkansas. To come back year after year, it drops hundreds and hundreds of seeds into the soil. Timothy has no awns. Timothy corm. It is easily weakened by frequent cutting or grazing. If the infestation is widespread and there isn't much desirable grass left in the pasture, you may want to plow everything under and reestablish the field. Right image: Green foxtail seed head. Left image: Timothy seed head. Historically used as horse hay. Other weeds may pop up in the bare areas, and bare ground is at higher risk for soil erosion. Various species of Phalaris grow on every continent except Antarctica. Timothy. Timothy was an agricultural crop from Europe that escaped cultivation and is now widespread across North America. They can be found in a broad range of habitats from below sea level to thousands of feet above sea level and from wet marshy areas to dry places. Timothy hay is rich in long fibre and its abrasive texture helps to grind down the teeth, keeping both the teeth and jaw in good order. Identification. See All Pest, Disease and Weed Identification, See All Beer, Hard Cider, and Distilled Spirits, See All Community Planning and Engagement, The Dangers of Fall Leaves and Yard Trimmings to Horses. Timothy is a relatively short-lived, cool-season, introduced perennial grass that grows in stools or clumps. There are no auricles. Timothy, (Phleum pratense), perennial grass of the family Poaceae. The grass is native to Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa. What is Timothy grass? It generates large amounts of pollen and is a bane for allergy sufferers during its long flowering period. Photographing Grasses. If you mow between this stage and full seed set, then the plant will not be able to drop seeds for next year, and it won't grow another seed head during this year. Each individual seed contains spikes with barbs called “awns," which can lodge in horses' mouths and gums, or even scratch an eye. In a severe infestation, eradicating the foxtail may be difficult and can take several years. An introduced cool-season grass, timothy is very winter hardy but lacks heat and drought hardiness compared to many other hay grasses, mainly because of shallow, fibrous roots. However, there are several different varieties of foxtail, and some seed heads remain upright. Photo: Cornell University. Timothy grass was named after Timothy Hanson, a farmer and agriculturalist who is said to have introduced it to the southern states of the US in the early 18th century. For the author who used Timothy Hay as a pen name, see. Designed for use outside, this laminated fold-out guide features beautiful colour paintings of grasses. It is a member of the genus Phleum, consisting of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses. The leaves of a foxtail plant may have some hairs as well. The plant gets its name from Timothy Hanson, who promoted the grass in the 1700s as a pasture grass. Some varieties may have very long and obvious awns, but others may have shorter awns that you need to look for. Cool-season perennial grass. An early, fast growing, dark-green grass that looks similar to timothy. Timothy is a very palatable grass valued both for grazing and hay making. Typhaceae. Foxtail is a timothy lookalike grass that can cause mouth blisters for livestock. Grasses are the most important family of plants on Earth, both ecologically and economically. How are you at identifying seed? Timothy has now become naturalized throughout most of the US and Canada. It is also known as timothy'-grass, meadow cat's-tail or common cat's tail. The spikelets of timothy are twin hornlike projections arranged in cylindrical panicles, whereas foxtail has a soft, single awn.[7]. The Observer's book of grasses, sedge and rushes by Francis Rose, page 112, 1976, Readers Digest Nature Lover's Library Wild Flowers of Britain, page 430, published 1988, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timothy_(grass)&oldid=995222353, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 December 2020, at 21:54. Get notified when we have news, courses, or events of interest to you. tenuissima (section Alternata) based on the GenBank sequence database. Plants persist through the winter. The plant is adapted to numerous climates and performs well in even cold, northern regions. On a timothy plant, you will see a tall membrane come away from the stem and stand upright. Timothy (Phleum pratense) is an abundant perennial grass native to most of Europe except for the Mediterranean region. Commonly used in early 1900's before more productive forages became popular. Timothy is native to most of mainland Europe and is widely cultivated as a hay and a pasture grass in North America and the United Kingdom. It is also known as timothy'-grass, meadow cat's-tail or common cat's tail. It is native to Europe and northern Asia and grows well in cool humid regions of North America. Leaves vary in length from a few inches to more than a foot and are about 0.6 cm (0.25 in) wide, narrowing gently toward the tip. 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. Timothy, on the other hand, is a perennial grass, which stays alive but dormant during the winter. timothy This plant can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below.This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. It is also part of important … It grows in erect culms 20 to 40 inches tall. 2 PASTURE GRASSES 3 Timothy is native to most of mainland Europe and is widely cultivated as a hay and a … In addition, two Basidiomycota … You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. FSC Grasses identification guide covers 30 species common in Britain and Ireland. Strengths. From an agricultural perspective Timothy is a very persistent and hardy grass, free of disease. The DM yield of timothy is less in summer than in spring even in conditions where water is not limiting in the summer. The foxtail seed head may droop over, which is a dead giveaway that it isn't timothy. Learn how to distinguish between the two and eradicate foxtail. Timothy grass care is minimal in most regions. The forage it produces is acceptable to most classes of stock. However, there are several different varieties of foxtail, and some seed heads remain upright. Threats and conservation Timothy grass is common throughout the UK and the rest of Europe. Its pollen is a common allergen; it has recently been used in small amounts as part of a new hay fever vaccine Grazax, which is designed to recondition the body's immune system so it no longer responds to pollen. It is a member of the genus Phleum, consisting of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses. Timothy was unintentionally introduced to North America by early settlers, and was first described in 1711 by John Hurd from plants growing in New Hampshire. Perennial grass. The grass was introduced to America in 1720 by Timothy Hanson. grasses such as smooth brome, perennial rye, or Kentucky bluegrass (Moser, et al., 1996). Ordering. View our privacy policy. Click on an acronym to view each weed list, or click here for a composite list of Weeds of the U.S. Right image: Foxtail: Fringe of fine hairs at collar. In pasture it tends to be overwhelmed by more competitive grasses. Timothy ( Phleum pratense L.) is a bunch-type grass that produces an open sod. This will only be obvious when the grasses are going to seed and aren't mowed. For information about the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland guidance on what to record for flora, see our guidance page. Remember to take soil tests and correct pH or nutrient deficiencies before you seed, and to avoid grazing the pastures for at least 6 months after seeding to allow the new grasses to establish healthy root systems. Timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.) is more readily colonized by endophytic fungi than perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and the ratio of fungi isolated from the above species was determined at 3:1. Because it's a grass, it is nearly impossible to eradicate with herbicides that won't also damage your desirable grass. Benefits include prevention of soil erosion and organic matter. Next, … The ligule is a … The plant is named after American farmer Timothy Hanson, who promoted its use outside New It is not recommended to feed foxtail with seed heads to horses. Timothy is well suited to moist heavy soils as it is naturally common on low lying grasslands. Become naturalized throughout most of the genus Phleum, consisting of about 15 species of Phalaris grow on continent... Blisters for livestock pretense ) is a dead giveaway that it is an abundant perennial grass of the Poaceae! Do about the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland guidance on what to record for flora, our... 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