Agrostis perennans aka Autumn Bent

Agrostis perennans is a grass in the Poaceae family. It is perennial, so it lives for more than two years. Its names include upland bentgrass, autumn bentgrass, and perennial bentgrass. Its broad native range spans much of the Americas. It includes North and Central America, plus Hispaniola. It also runs from Venezuela to southern South America. The grass is not native to Britain or Ireland. In the tropics, it grows most often in mountain areas. In temperate areas, it can grow near sea level.

This grass forms clumps about 3 feet [0.9 metres] tall. Its stems can reach 3.3 feet [1 metre] long. Its form changes with the site where it grows. On dry, open ground, plants grow stout, with upright stems. In shade, growth is weaker, with loose panicles, or branched flower heads. Some stems bend down or lie close to the ground. Plants in shade can thus look quite unlike those in the open.

Each flower has both male and female parts. Wind moves pollen from one flower to the next. The small seeds have a recorded use as food. Sources give no firm details on how people prepare them. Their small size makes them hard to gather and handle. People sometimes gather the plant from the wild for local food. Neither cited use source reports any known hazards. This does not prove safety for all people or pets. Plants For A Future lists no known medicinal use.

The grass grows in open woods, thickets, and on rocky banks. It also grows on dry ground, slopes, fields, and pastures. Other sites lie beside streams and in swamps. Accounts from temperate areas include sites that tend to be dry. Parts of its tropical range have wetter sites too. Plants For A Future advises soil that drains well for garden growth. The grass accepts sand, loam, and clay soils. Soil can be mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline. Both sun and light shade suit the grass. It can grow in dry or moist soil.

Plants For A Future suggests beds and sunny woodland edges. It stresses how little we know about growing this grass. No one has confirmed its hardiness in Britain. The source expects it to suit much of Britain, based on its native range. Sow seeds outdoors in spring, with just a light soil cover. Do not let the seedbed dry as the seeds sprout. Under these conditions, seeds tend to sprout in two to three weeks. Plants For A Future does not flag it as weedy.