NRCS−Montana−Technical Note−Plant Materials−MT-94 1 

United States Department of Agriculture

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

Plant Materials Technical Note No. MT-94

September 2013 

PLANT MATERIALS TECHNICAL NOTE

SANDBERG BLUEGRASS

Poa secunda ssp. secunda

A Native Grass for Conservation Use in Montana and Wyoming

Susan R. Winslow, Agronomist, NRCS Plant Materials Center, Bridger, Montana

Sandberg bluegrass growing in sagebrush steppe in Butte County, Idaho.

Photo by Matt Lavin, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. Used with permission.

General Description

Sandberg bluegrass is a native cool-season, perennial bunchgrass with an extensive, deep, fibrous 

root system making it drought tolerant and resistant to grazing and trampling. It is one of the first 

grasses to green up in the spring, set seed, and cure by early summer. Plants are seldom more 

than 24 inches tall, growing as small tufts, with softly bunched basal leaves and few- to manyflowering stalks that are naked except for two small leaves. The leaves have the typical bluegrass 

characteristics of a boat-shaped tip and double veins down the center of the leaf surface. The 

inflorescences are narrow panicles, which droop slightly at maturity. 

Current taxonomy divides P. secunda into two groups recognized as subspecies: P. secunda ssp. 

juncifolia and P. secunda ssp. secunda. Subspecies juncifolia has two distinct variants: one is 

more robust and found on deep, rich montane soils (P. ampla – big bluegrass and P. nevadensis – 

Nevada bluegrass); the other is found in riparian and wet meadows (P. juncifolia – alkali 

bluegrass). Subspecies secunda has several variants: scabrous plants (P. scabrella – pine 

bluegrass); smooth and larger plants (P. canbyi – Canby’s bluegrass); tiny plants of stony and 

mossy ground (P. sandbergii – Sandberg bluegrass); and slender, sparse plants (P. gracillima – 

slender bluegrass). The information herein relates to Poa secunda ssp. secunda. 
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Adaptation or Range

Sandberg bluegrass is adapted to high deserts, mountain grasslands, saline meadows, dry forests, 

and lower alpine slopes. Its primary range is from the Yukon Territory east to Manitoba, south to

the Baja regions of California and Mexico. Sandberg bluegrass grows well on medium texture soils, 

but is most common on badlands, ridge-tops, and dry, stony or sandy soil. It is found at elevations 

up to 12,000 feet in annual precipitation zones as low as 6 inches. It is a pioneer species and is 

one of the first grasses to colonize disturbed sites. Sandberg bluegrass is moderately shade 

tolerant. When dormant, it is tolerant of fire. 

In Montana, Sandberg bluegrass is found in the prairie, foothills, and open forests at elevations of 

1,800 to 7,000 feet. It is present as a minor component in at least 128 ecological sites in Major 

Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) 43A-A, 44A-A, 44A-B, 46N, 52C, 52N, 53A-E, 58A, 58A-C, and 

60B. Sandberg bluegrass is known to inhabit at least 53 of 56 Montana counties.

In Wyoming, Sandberg bluegrass is common to basins and foothills at low to high elevations. It is 

present as a minor component on sites in MLRAs 32, 34A, 43B, 46, 47, 48A, 58B, 60B, 61, 64, 62, 

and 67A. Sandberg bluegrass is known to inhabit all 24 counties in Wyoming. 

High Plains Sandberg bluegrass has been field tested at one location in Wyoming. In the ShellPinedale evaluation planting, the performance of High Plains Germplasm was “satisfactory” when 

compared to three other bluegrass entries. Average annual precipitation at the site is 10 inches, 

although it was only 2 inches the year of establishment and drought conditions prevailed for 

several years. Soils at the test site are sandy site and the elevation is 7,200 feet.

High Plains Sandberg bluegrass was field-tested at three locations in Idaho. It consistently 

performed better on sites with low precipitation sites than Mountain Home and Reliable 

germplasms.

Small (brown) plants of High Plains Sandberg bluegrass near Pinedale, Wyoming

Conservation Uses

Although it is usually a minor component of most plant communities, it is considered one of the six 

most important range grasses of the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest regions. Sandberg 

bluegrass is useful for filling the early season niche in native mixtures for conservation programs, 

reclamation of drastically disturbed lands, wildlife habitat plantings, and native plant community 

restoration.
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Sandberg bluegrass is palatable to livestock early in the growing season, becoming less preferred 

in the summer when cured. It may produce enough re-growth for fall grazing if adequate moisture 

is available. Large ungulates utilize Sandberg bluegrass as forage, and birds and small mammals 

eat the seeds. Because of its small stature and early maturity, however, this grass does not 

provide much usable forage. It has good tolerance to grazing and increases when sites are 

repeatedly grazed. Sandberg bluegrass may dominate overgrazed sites in sagebrush steppe and 

other prairie communities.

Ease of Establishment

Sandberg bluegrass readily establishes by direct seeding. Seedling vigor is moderately weak and 

stands can be slow to establish.

Planting Rates (all recommended amounts based on Pure-Live-Seed, PLS)

Sandberg bluegrass has approximately 900,000 seeds per pound. As a guideline, at a seeding rate 

of 1 pound per acre, this equates to approximately 21 seeds per square foot. A full drill-seeding 

rate, based on 30 to 50 seeds per linear or square foot is 1.5 to 2.4 pounds PLS per acre.

Stand Establishment 

For best results, plant into a firm, weed-free seedbed. Early spring seeding is recommended over a 

dormant fall seeding. Drill-plant to ensure uniform seed placement to a depth of 1⁄4- to 1⁄2-inch. The 

broadcast and critical area seeding rates are double the recommended drill rate, whereas 

broadcast seeding on critical areas may be as much as four times the full stand seeding rate, 

depending on site conditions. Broadcast seeding is favorable for the small seed when harrowed 

and packed to assure seed-to-soil contact. Plants are competitive when fully established and will 

self-seed in open niches of bunchgrass habitats. 

Seed production of Sandberg bluegrass is moderately easy under cultivated, irrigated conditions. 

Supplemental irrigation is recommended in areas receiving less than 16 inches of annual 

precipitation. Seed fields should be established at 25 to 50 PLS seeds per linear foot. When 

planted in rows 2 feet apart, the recommended seeding rate is 0.7 to 1.2 PLS pounds per acre. 

When planted in rows 3 feet apart, the recommended seeding rate is 0.5 to 0.8 PLS pounds per 

acre. Control broadleaf weeds using herbicides only in early spring before boot and in late summer 

after harvest. Expect a seed crop the second and third summer, with a decline in production in 

subsequent years. Seed harvest can be as early as the last week in June through mid-July. Seed 

fields can be direct harvested or swathed and combined out of the cured windrows. Under 

irrigation, seed yield of High Plains Germplasm exceeded 200 PLS pounds per acre at the Bridger 

Plant Materials Center (BPMC) in Bridger, Montana. The average harvest date at the BPMC is 

June 24. Sandberg bluegrass is strongly self-pollinated.

Limitations

The small stature of Sandberg bluegrass provides limited cover for wildlife. Because of its small 

seed size, establishment is limited if the seed is buried too deeply during planting. Sandberg 

bluegrass establishment is more prone to failure under drought conditions than larger seeded 

species.

Releases

High Plains Germplasm was released in 2000 by the USDA-NRCS BPMC, in cooperation with the 

Montana and Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Stations, as a Selected Class germplasm of 

Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda ssp. secunda. It is a composite of three accessions collected in 
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the early 1980's from native stands in Wyoming’s Campbell County (elevation 4,690 feet), Natrona 

County (elevation 5,216 feet), and Uinta County (elevation 6,300 feet). It was selected for use in 

native seedings to restore native plant communities and provide wildlife habitat.

High Plains Germplasm Sandberg bluegrass seed production field at the Bridger Plant Materials Center

Reliable was released in 2004 by the USDA-ARS and the Agricultural Experiment Station in Logan, 

Utah, as a Selected Class germplasm of Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda. It is a composite of 

plants originating from 28 locations and is intended for rehabilitation and restoration of western 

rangelands.

Mountain Home was released in 2011 by the USDA-FS, USDI-BLM, University Experiment 

Stations in Utah and Idaho, and the USAF-Idaho as a Selected Class germplasm of Sandberg 

bluegrass Poa secunda. It can be used to restore extensive areas in the Great Basin and Snake 

River Plain on sites once dominated by big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata/bluebunch wheatgrass

Pseudoroegneria spicata communities. It is particularly valuable for seeding semi-arid regions 

supporting only remnant populations of this species. It has been especially useful in conjunction 

with other native plants in fire rehabilitation and wildlife habitat plantings to re-establish natural 

communities in areas presently occupied by exotic annuals. 

Additional Information

A Field Guide to Wyoming Grasses. 2010. Q.D. Skinner. Educational Resources Publishing, 

Cummings, Georgia.

Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. 2012. P. Lesica. Brit Press, Fort Worth, Texas.

Sandberg Bluegrass Plant Fact Sheet and Plant Guide available at 

http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet 

Seeding Rates and Recommended Cultivars. USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Technical Note 

Number, MT-46. Currently version available at 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mt/plantsanimals/?cid=nrcs144p2_057725