Perennial ryegrass tolerates both acidic and alkaline soils, with a pH range of 5.1 to 8.4. Best growth occurs when soil pH is maintained between 5.5 and 7.5. The uppermost culm segment is called the peduncle, the structure that supports the flowering parts. Blades are bright green. They are prominently narrow and ridged on the upper surface.
Lower surfaces are smooth, glossy, and hairless.
Leaf margins are slightly rough to the touch. The collar , a narrow band of meristematic tissue at the junction of the blade and the stem, accounts for increasing blade length. Once the blade has achieved its maximum length, cells in the collar cease dividing. Auricles are small, soft, and claw-like. How it grows Ryegrasses have higher shoot apices then some grasses implying a susceptibility to close defoliation, winter damage, and drought, which is highlighted in its characteristics.