Phleum pratense
Phleum pratense
Safety & Hazards
Two allergens producing strong skin reactions and a haemaglutinating action have been isolated from timothy pollen. The pollen contains several flavonol-glycosides, among them dactylin (isorhamnetin-31,4-diglucoside)[1].
Cultivation Details
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in a sunny position in any ordinary soil[2]. The plant is not drought tolerant[1]. Timothy grass is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 35 to 176cm, an annual temperature range of 4.4 to 18.6°C, and a pH of 4.5 to 7.8[1]. The plant is best adapted to a cool, humid, temperate climate, growing best on rather heavy, deep and moist or even wet soils[1]. Yields are lower on light dry soils and sands[1]. The optimum temperature for growth is 18.3° - 21.6°C varying with day/night temperatures of 15°/10°C and 21°/15°C[1]. Timothy grass is a very variable species that is commonly grown as a hay grass. Several named forms have been develped[3, 1]. A short-lived perennial it is a common cause of hayfever[4]. An attractive addition to the wild flower meadow, the inflorescence dries and dyes well so is used in dried flower displays[2].
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ, only just covering the seed. If seed is in short supply, it can be surface sown in a pot in a cold frame. Ensure the pot does not dry out. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant out in the summer. Division in spring. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Phleum+pratense>
Pollinators
Wind
References
- [1]Handbook of Energy Crops — Duke. J. · - · 1983 · https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html · ISBN - ↩︎Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
- [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [3]Flora of the British Isles. — Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. · Cambridge University Press · 1962 · ISBN - ↩︎A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
- [4]Native American Ethnobotany — Moerman. D. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 1998 · ISBN 0-88192-453-9 ↩︎Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.