Tufted hairgrass root distribution was measured on the Beartooth Plateau above Red Lodge, Montana. Tufted hairgrass is self-incompatible.
Germination is enhanced by light and by cold storage.
Tufted hairgrass seeds were given 90 days of dry cold storage or wet cold storage in light or dark conditions. Tufted hairgrass is common in grassland communities within its circumglobal range. In Colorado tufted hairgrass grows best in moist habitats, wet meadows, and bogs. It often occurs in nearly pure stands in moist, favorable sites. Tufted hairgrass grows on a variety of soil types and textures.