Brown-top Bent - Bent grass (Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis castellana)
General description Perennial plant (temperate/cool season C3) with short rhizomes, often stoloniferous. One of the few grasses producing stolons and rhizomes simultaneously. Can survive in a large range of temperatures, is extremely resistant to summer heat and winter cold. Can grow in shade and in poorer acid soils. Cultivars ? Uses Pasture (also a common lawn and golf course grass) Country of origin/native to Europe and West Asia. Now also grows in Australia (NSW, Vic, Tas, W.A, S.A) New Zealand, USA? Advantages for horses Regarded as a low ‘quality’ grass and is therefore probably ‘safer’ for horses that require lower energy grass - need more information Disadvantages for horses To be ascertained but probably a relatively good grass for horses Digestibility for horses To be ascertained Palatability to horses Medium? Environmental advantages see disadvantages Environmental disadvantages Its pollen is a common allergen, it is invasive of many types of pastures and woodlands, regarded as a weed (but not declared noxious?) in Australia and New Zealand.
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