Poa bulbosa var. vivipara

Family: Poaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Bulbous bluegrass is a naturalized perennial found throughout California in disturbed places at elevations generally below 2,000 meters. Flowering from March to July, this grass produces distinctive spikelets that uniquely generate leafy bulblets instead of typical seeds. Growing in dense tufts with bulbous bases, it spreads readily through these unusual vegetative reproductive structures. Its leaves are fine and narrow, typical of bluegrass species, emerging in compact clusters. The plant is characterized by its ability to reproduce through leafy bulblets, which can quickly colonize disturbed ground.

Habitat: Disturbed places, common

Bloom period: Mar-Jul

Elevation: generally < 2000 m

Bioregions: CA

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.