Identification: Pointed tip leaf, flat and smooth in appearance. Lighter to very dark green color, vertical growth habit, dense growth habit, tolerates very low mowing.
Establishment: Quick germination, aggressive to medium aggressive growth habit, vertical growth habit without tendency to thatch. Good spring green-up, color retention and wear tolerance. High maintenance quality turfgrass.
Kingpin
Creeping
Bentgrass
Very dark green, non-grainy erect blade type
Tolerates low cutting heights on putting surfaces
High shoot density and improved disease resistance
Excellent spring green-up and holds color late in the fall
Putter
Creeping Bentgrass
A rich, dark bluish color
Dwarf growth habit and high shoot density
Improved disease and pest resistance
Fast aggressive establishment
Crenshaw Creeping Bentgrass
Great choice for greens, tees and fairways
Aggressive vertical growth with dark green turf color
Exceptional heat tolerance
Excellent Brown Patch resistance
Penn A-4 Creeping Bentgrass
Elite high density creeping bentgrass
Requires less nitrogen once established than Penncross
Properly top dressed and verdicut A-4 is the best bentgrass available in the industry
Top entry in NTEP and On-site NTEP Tests
Penneagle II
Creeping Bentgrass
New and improved Penneagle for the progressive superintendent
Medium density for reduced thatch but competitive against poa annua
Good dollar spot resistance
Penncross Creeping Bentgrass
Aggressiveness, vigor, and wear tolerance make Penncross a natural for tees and fairways as well as greens
Extra vigorous growth means less water and fertilizer requirements
Extreme heat and cold tolerance
Venus Velvet Bentgrass
Newest of the improved velvet bentgrass varieties
Top velvet bentgrass in the 2003 NTEP Bentgrass Test
Requires very low nitrogen rates
Best putting surface available
Bentgrass Descriptions
High Density Creeping Types
These varieties have highest shoot density with range of 2,200-2,600 shoots per decimeter². These are best adapted to golf course greens, croquet, tennis courts and bowling tops. They often require frequent top dressing and mowing and prefer low mowing heights of 125,000ths or less.
Penncross Creeping Types
Expensive to produce seed due to parent production field established vegetatively. Open type with 1,000-1,100 shoots per decimeter². Continues to be used regardless of age and lack of improvements. Penncross requires high levels of nitrogen which results in high thatch production and reduced disease resistance.
Dry-Arid Creeping Climate Types
Developed from germplasm collected from dry arid regions of the western US. All have high shoot density ranging from 1,400-1,600 shoots per decimeter². These varieties are very susceptible to dollar spot but have excellent turf quality and have been used succesfully around the world.
Highland Dryland Types
Highland Dryland bentgrass Agrostis castellana has been incorrectly referred to as a colonial bentgrass. It has large robust stolons, which under low height of cut and infrequent mowing produce unacceptable "false crowning" in manicured turf. Highland continues to be used for low cost roadside and utility turf situations.
Colonial Bentgrass
Compared to creepers, colonials are more upright with a weaker lateral growth habit. It has better wear tolerance at high height of cut (fairways) and is typically brighter green, maintains better color in cool weather, has better resistance to dollar spot, but is more susceptible to brown patch than creeping bentgrass.
Velvet Bentgrass
Velvet bentgrass is the densest of the bents used for turf and tends to have better shade tolerance than creeping or colonial bentgrass. Compared to creepers, velvet has a brighter green color, better dollar spot and brown patch resistance, and less prone to localized dry spot.
