Canada Bluegrass

Poa compressa

Found in fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

-30

Harmful

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: About 2 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

See native alternatives

Poa compressa — flower photograph — James K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original photograph

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Virginia.

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Eastern Woodland Sedge
Carex blanda
Sun: Full sun, Part shade, Shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Graceful Sedge
Carex gracillima
Sun: Part to full shade. Soil: Average to moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Greater Straw Sedge
Carex normalis
Sun: Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: April to August
Fruiting season: Spring to summer

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 86 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 125 animals.

Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-winged Crossbill
Loxia leucoptera
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

39CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Poa

Acrolophus popeanellaClemen's Grass Tubeworm
Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
Amblyscirtes hegonPepper and Salt Skipper
Amblyscirtes vialisCommon Roadside-Skipper, Black Little Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitorLeast Skipper
Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
Apamea devastatorGlassy Borer, Glassy Cutworm Moth
Arugisa luteaCommon Arugisa
Atalopedes huronSachem
Cercyonis pegalaCommon Wood Nymph

Show all 39

Chrysoteuchia topiariusCranberry Girder, Subterranean Webworm, Topiary Grass-Veneer
Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
Fissicrambus mutabilisStriped Webworm, Striped Sodworm, Changeable Grass-Veneer
Hesperia leonardusLeonard's Skipper, Blazing Star Skipper, Pawnee Prairie Skipper, Pawnee Montane Skipper
Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
Lacinipolia meditataThe Thinker
Lerodea eufalaEufala Skipper, Gray Skipper, Rice Leafroller
Leucania phragmitidicolaNeedle Wainscot, Phragmites Wainscot
Leucania subpunctataWhite-Dotted Wainscot, Forage Armyworm
Limochores mysticLong Dash
Lon hobomokHobomok Skipper
Lon zabulonZabulon Skipper
Macrochilo litophoraAngulate Fan-Foot, Brown-Lined Owlet
Marimatha nigrofimbriaBlack-Bordered Lemon
Megisto cymelaLittle Wood Satyr
Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Nephelodes miniansBronzed Cutworm
Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Parapediasia teterrellusBluegrass Webworm
Pediasia trisectaSod Webworm Moth, Larger Sod Webworm
Phalaenostola larentioidesBlack-Banded Owlet, Black-Banded Phalaenostola
Phalaenostola metonalisPale Epidelta, Pale Phalaenostola
Polites corasPeck's Skipper, Yellow-Patch Skipper
Polites themistoclesTawny-Edged Skipper
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Elachista illectella
Gonioterma mistrella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

9BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Poa

Anser caerulescensSnow Goose
Branta canadensisCanada Goose
Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Pooecetes gramineusVesper Sparrow
Spizella breweriBrewer's Sparrow
Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
Spizella pusillaField Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Spring
Fruit ends: Summer

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Spreads by rhizomes” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 2 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source