Red Top

Agrostis gigantea, introduced

• Cool season, introduced species
• Red-tinged at the base of the plant
• Widely used as a pasture grass or hay
• Best source of forage early in the season
• Can also be used in lawns and as golf course turf
• Used for erosion control along riparian zones and wetlands
• Germinates very quickly
• Grows well in acidic, low-fertility soils
• Provides nesting cover for ducks and geese
• Prefers the moist mountain areas of the West and humid areas of the Northeast
• Well adapted to wetlands and the banks of waterways and ditches