Thicket/ Ticklegrass

COMMON NAME: Ticklegrass

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Rough Hairgrass

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Agrostis hyemalis

FAMILY: Poaceae

COMMUNITY: Thicket

STATUS: Native   

LIFESPAN: Perennial

HEIGHT: to 3 ˝ feet

FLOWERING TIME: May to June

FRUITING TIME: Late May to late June

DISTRIBUTION: Massachusetts to Florida ~ Statewide in New Jersey

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Small shiny flower clusters at end of branches ~ Long delicate branches that branch again toward the outer end, branches rough ~ Flower cluster is wide and occupies most of the height of the plant, first green-purple and shiny then tan ~ Leaves narrow at base ~ Grows in clumps ~ After flowering the inflorescence breaks off and floats around like a tumbleweed.

GENERAL INFORMATION: This family (Poaceae) is commonly called the grass family. The name of this genus (Agrostis) is as old Greek name for grass from agros meaning “a field”, the place where these plants grow. The common name, Ticklegrass, is presumably from the tickling sensation one gets from rubbing against the delicate branches of this plant. Ticklegrass is found on dry or damp open sterile soil, bogs, or thin woods. The Sage Grouse, also known as the Sage Hen, is the largest member of the Grouse family and is native of the Northwest sagebrush country.  Nearly three-fourths of this bird’s food consists of leaves and flower clusters of different species of sagebrush.  The Sage Grouse eats grasses in the Agrostis family.