Grass Cultivar vs. Variety: What Do the Names Mean?

Grass seed naming can become confusing quickly.

A single grass may appear in an NTEP report under an experimental code, later

receive a commercial name, and eventually be included in a seed blend sold

under an entirely different product name.

Understanding those layers makes turfgrass research much easier to use while

shopping.

Species

The broadest category is the species.

Examples include:

• Kentucky bluegrass
• Perennial ryegrass
• Tall fescue
• Bermudagrass

Two cultivars within Kentucky bluegrass belong to the same species but can still

differ meaningfully in appearance, disease resistance, stress tolerance and

overall turf performance.

Cultivar or variety

In practical turfgrass use, cultivar refers to a cultivated plant selection

with identifiable characteristics.

You will also see NTEP, seed certification systems and commercial sources

frequently use the word variety.

For a homeowner choosing seed, the important point is that the cultivar/variety

name identifies a more specific genetic selection than the species alone.

Buying "Kentucky bluegrass" tells you the species.

Buying a seed containing named Kentucky bluegrass cultivars tells you much more

about what was actually planted.

Experimental designation

Breeders often test new material before it has a consumer-facing name.

That is why NTEP reports contain names such as:

• PVF-MVP-2020
• DLF-KB-3635
• BAR PP 79366

These are not necessarily retail product names. They may be experimental

designations used to identify breeding material during testing.

AOSCA's Grass Variety Review Board index demonstrates this relationship

directly by listing separate fields for Variety Name and **Experimental

Designation**. Some current records already have an official variety name;

others still show only an experimental designation.

For example, a designation can later become associated with a named variety

through an AOSCA record.

That is why PoaIndex keeps the historical NTEP identity and the confirmed

consumer-facing identity as separate pieces of information.

Blend

A blend contains multiple cultivars of the same grass species.

For example:

Kentucky bluegrass cultivar A

• Kentucky bluegrass cultivar B
• Kentucky bluegrass cultivar C

University extension guidance commonly recommends cultivar blending because

genetic diversity can improve the overall adaptability of the turf. Penn State

specifically notes the value of blending several Kentucky bluegrass cultivars.

Mixture

A mixture contains more than one turfgrass species.

For example:

Kentucky bluegrass

• perennial ryegrass
• fine fescue

The University of Maryland distinguishes mixtures from blends this way:

mixtures contain multiple grass species, while blends contain multiple

cultivars of a species.

Different species can complement one another where a lawn contains varying

levels of sun, shade, traffic or moisture.

The bag name may not be the cultivar name

A retailer may sell a product under a brand or blend name that does not match

any individual cultivar in NTEP.

The seed-analysis label is therefore important.

Look for the actual grass species and cultivar names in the contents rather than

relying only on the large marketing name on the front of the package.

How PoaIndex handles names

PoaIndex starts with the identity found in historical NTEP testing.

Where a reviewed AOSCA match can be confirmed, PoaIndex can connect an

experimental designation to the recognized variety name.

If a match cannot be established confidently, PoaIndex leaves the experimental

designation visible rather than inventing a commercial identity.

That distinction is especially important for older NTEP trials.

Next: What Does NTEP Commercial Availability Mean?

Sources

• AOSCA Grass Index
• Penn State: lawn establishment
• University of Maryland: grass seed