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Cock’s-foot Grass

Dactylis glomerata

Months

Close-up photos of Cock's-foot grass
Cock's-foot pictured at Cannon Hill Park

How To Spot

It’s one of the bigger lawn grasses which can grow over 1m. Its most distinguishing feature is its flattened lower stems which you can feel with your fingers as easily as you can see. Forming dense tussocks, it also has distinctive heavy-looking flower heads.

Where to spot

It’s found across the UK in all kinds of places but it’s most commonly found in meadows and roadsides. On lawns, it often grows on the lesser mown edges.

Don’t mistake it with

False oat grass – another tall, bulky grass which flowers slightly later.

Cock's-foot pictured at Pebble Mill

Things you might not know

Cock’s-foot grass is a surprisingly good plant for wildlife.

  • Honey bees gorge on its pollen
  • Caterpillars eat its leaves
  • Finches feed on its seed
  • Its tussocks provide safe places for nesting mammals and bees

 

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