Anthoxanthum odoratum L.

Sweet vernal grass

About plant names...

Sweet vernal grass is named for a distinctive sweet smell, reminiscent of vanilla, when it is mature. It is a perennial native to Eurasia, but naturalized in North America. It favors disturbed soils, cliffs, balds, or ledges, forest edges, meadows and fields, and woodlands. It is considered a pasture weed because it is not palatable to cows. It is not poisonous, but it is borderline invasive.

Plants: Up to 20" (50 cm) tall.

Leaves: Most of the leaves are basal, up to 12" (30 cm) × ⅜" (1 cm), and flat. Leaf surfaces usually have short white hairs. Where the leaves attach to the stem is a ligule, or sheaf, ¹/₁₆-¼" (2-7 mm) long.

Flowers: Flowering spikes are ¾-2½" (1.9-7.0 cm) × ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm), consisting of spikelets ⅛-¼" (6-9 mm) long. They flower between April and July.

Fruits: Seeds ripen from May to July.

Online References:

Minnesota Wildflowers

Gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org

Weedid.cals.vt.edu

The Bugwood Wiki

5/24/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4½ × 6" (11 × 14 cm)

5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 3½" (7.8 × 9.4 cm)

6/2/2016 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts

7/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 5" (10 × 13 cm)

6/10/2021 · Otter Brook Preserve, Harpswell, Maine
≈ 4½ × 7" (11 × 17 cm)

5/18/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine
≈ 2 × 3" (6 × 8.2 cm)

6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hamp­shire

6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 4½" (13 × 11 cm)

5/24/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 4" (7.6 × 10 cm)

5/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 4" (9.2 × 9.9 cm)

5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

Anthoxanthum odoratum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 5 Sep 2023.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2 × 3" (5.9 × 7.5 cm)

6/17/2012 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

6/11/2014 · Conservation Area near Potanipo Pond, Brookline, New Hamp­shire
≈ 7 × 4½" (18 × 12 cm)

5/9/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine
≈ 4½ × 5" (12 × 13 cm)

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 3" (7.9 × 8.3 cm)

5/28/2015 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 15 cm)

7/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 15 × 10" (37 × 25 cm)

5/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 12 × 14" (29 × 36 cm)

5/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 8" (14 × 19 cm)

6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 6" (13 × 14 cm)

6/1/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hamp­shire
≈ 3½ × 4" (9.7 × 11 cm)

5/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4½ × 3½" (12 × 9.2 cm)

5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

Range:

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