Fauna
Plant

Orchard Grass

Dactylis glomerata

Also known as Cock's-foot, Cocksfoot Grass, Cat Grass

Orchard grass forms dense, coarse tussocks recognizable by distinctively flattened stem bases and one-sided, clustered seed heads reminiscent of a rooster's foot. As a cool-season perennial, it resumes growth early in spring and stays green well into late autumn, making it a foundational forage grass in temperate pastures worldwide. Its dense basal tufts also provide critical sheltering cover and larval forage for numerous grassland butterflies and moths.

PerennialPasture GrassCool-Season
Orchard Grass reference1 / 7
(c) Harry Podschwit, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Harry Podschwit · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotoautotrophic
Predators
  • Cattle
  • European Rabbit
  • Meadow Vole
ThreatsIntensive overgrazing, broad-spectrum herbicide use, and land development
HabitatsMeadows, pastures, open woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed ground
Life span5–10+ years
Classification
  1. OrderPoales
  2. FamilyPoaceae
  3. GenusDactylis
  4. SpeciesDactylis glomerata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Stem inspection: Feel the lower sheath near the ground, which is distinctly flattened rather than round.
  • Bloom watching: Look for prominent purplish stamens protruding from dense, one-sided panicles in late spring.
Related species
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