Types of Pasture Grass in Missouri

Whether the season and temperatures are cool or warm, if you drive the rural highways of Missouri for long, you will soon see picturesque pastures gently swaying in the mid-western breeze. These grasses might seem indistinguishable to the casual observer, however, there is a wide range of pasture grasses growing in Missouri.

Bromegrass is a cool-season grass, and according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, this means it grows best or more abundantly in the early spring and late fall. It requires rich, dry soil and grows best at higher altitudes. Bromegrass is more abundant in northern regions of Missouri, however, it can be found in other sections of the state. Running 15 to 30 inches in height, it flowers with characteristic open clusters or panicles. (See Reference 2)

Orchard grass is another cool-season grass. The University of Missouri Extension’s Infonet indicates that this grass is not a high-yield grass, but it is a high-quality grass. It grows best in well irrigated areas during cooler growing seasons. It grows to be about 3 feet tall, and it has a distinctive blue tint to its leaves.

Tall fescue is one of the best producing grasses in Missouri, according to the extension. The Missouri Department of Conservation explains that tall fescue is easily raised in many regions due to its adaptability to different soil types. Resistant and tough, this cool-season grass grows better in the late fall and is identified by the Missouri Department of Conservation as "unpalatable during the summer." Tall fescue grows in clumps, and when it flowers the head starts flat and compressed before opening up.

Switchgrass is a panic grass that grows naturally in Missouri. A panic grass produces seeds and can be used for forage. It’s considered a warm-season grass because it grows best through the summer and early fall. It grows in bunches that can reach more than 6 feet tall. As the extension explains, however, it rarely grows beyond 4 feet tall. Leaves that twist like a corkscrew from the top of the grass to the bottom are characteristic of this grass.

Kentucky bluegrass, another warm-season grass, is identified, by the extension, as one of the most prolific pasture grasses in the northern part of the state. Bluegrass thrives best in rich moist soil. It can grow as tall as 11 inches high. It grows in upright clumps, and when kept to shorter lengths, it can be used as a lawn grass. The leaves are identified by their resemblance to a boat at the tips and their pale green color.