Turf - Kentucky Bluegrass Varieties

Kentucky bluegrass is best adapted to northern Delaware, silt loams in Kent County, and heavier soils in other parts of Kent County. In general, it is more disease prone and less heat tolerant than turf-type tall fescue. However, a great deal of improvement has occured over the last decade and more heat and disease tolerant varieties are now available. For those interested in using Kentucky bluegrass for turf areas, the following are recommended varieties from the Maryland/Virginia turf evaluations.

Kentucky Bluegrass – Individual varieties selected must make up not less than 10%, nor more than 35% of the total mixture on a weight basis. All varieties must be certified. Selections can be made from Category I alone or various combinations of Categories I, and II as noted. Kentucky bluegrasses listed as “Promising” (Category II below) can account for no more than 35% of the blend by weight).

Category I – Recommended Kentucky Bluegrass Varieties (65–100% of blend by weight).

Apollo, Award, Awesome, Beyond, Bordeaux, Brilliant, Cabernet, Champlain, Courtyard, Dynamo, Everest, Everglade, Excursion, Glenmont, Impact, Liberator, Limousine, Midnight, Moonlight, NuDestiny, NuGlade, Perfection, Princeton 105, Quantum Leap, Rambo, Raven, Skye, Total Eclipse, and Tsunami.

Category II – Promising Kentucky Bluegrasses (10–35% on a weight basis) – These grasses have performed in the top statistical quality category for a minimum of 2 consecutive years in Virginia and Maryland trials. Seed may be difficult to locate for some cultivars. Note: Durablue, ThermalBlue, and ThermalBlue Blaze are commonly referred to as Hybrid Bluegrasses, but they are classified by USDA as Kentucky bluegrasses. To date they have had better performance in traditionally warmer areas of Virginia.

Alexa II, Aura, Barrister, Belissimo, Bewitched, Bluestone, Diva, Durablue, Emblem, Everglade, Granite, Juliet, Mystere, NuChicago, NuDestiny, Rhapsody, Rhythm, Solar Eclipse, Sudden Impact, ThermalBlue, ThermalBlue Blaze, Touche, Wild Horse, Yankee, Zinfandel