Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa
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Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial
Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa is a California perennial in the Poaceae family.
Bulbous bluegrass is a naturalized perennial grass found in disturbed places at elevations generally below 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces small, delicate spikelets with compact flower clusters. Growing with dense, tufted stems that form small bulbous bases, it spreads easily in disturbed ground. Its leaves are narrow and grass-like, forming dense clumps that can quickly colonize open areas. The grass has distinctive hairy lemmas with cobwebby calluses, giving it a soft, intricate appearance.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed places
Elevation: generally < 1000 m
Outside California: sporadic across temperate United States and southern Canada, native to Mediterranean, western Asia
Bloom period
Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa blooms Apr-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Festuca: Poa has boat-shaped, keeled leaf tips; Festuca leaves are flat or rolled but never keeled like a ship's prow.; vs Melica: Poa has fine, narrow leaves with boat-shaped tips; Melica has wider, flat leaves without the distinctive keel.; vs Nassella: Poa leaves have boat-shaped tips you can feel; Nassella leaves roll inward and lack the keel.; vs Koeleria: Poa has cobwebby hairs at seed base and keeled leaf tips; Koeleria lacks both features.; vs Holcus: Poa has boat-shaped leaf tips; Holcus leaves are flat and soft-hairy without any keel.
Frequently asked questions
When does Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa bloom?
Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa blooms Apr-May.
What plant family does Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa belong to?
Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa is in the Poaceae family, genus Poa.
What habitat does Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa grow in?
Poa bulbosa var. bulbosa grows in Disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.