13 species
Show only taxa with photos
Scientific name
Common name
– colonial bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Open, disturbed areas often at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– Highland bentgrass, dryland browntop
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington: southwestern British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, and gravel bars.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
– California bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in western Washington along the outer coast; coastal Washington to California.
Habitat: Coastal bluffs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– spiked bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Alberta, Nebraska and Texas.
Habitat: Moist areas, from near sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
– black bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Disturbed sites, roadsides, edge of agricultural fields, mostly at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
– Idaho bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Subalpine and alpine meadows, along wet seepage areas, bogs, and wet openings in coniferous forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– Merten's bentgrass, northern bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring in the Cascades Range in Washington; Alaska to northern Washington; circumboreal.
Habitat: Rocky alpine meadows and ridgelines.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– small-leaf bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Seasonally wet areas on thin, rocky or sandy substrates, vernal pools, cliffs, and serpentine areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Annual
– Oregon bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada.
Habitat: Stream and lake margins, damp woodlands and meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– seashore bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to western Montana and Utah.
Habitat: Coastal sands and cliffs, meadows, open, dry lowlands to subalpine forest.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– rough bentgrass
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Disturbed sites in grassl, open forest, marshes, and lakesides, often
along roads and ditches.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
– spreading bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Wet, disturbed areas that include streambanks, flooded fields, and ditches at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
– alpine bentgrass
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Wet subalpine and alpine seeps and meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial