Powell River Project
Reclamation Guidelines for Surface-Mined Land in Southwest Virginia

Revegetation Species and Practices

Authors: Jeff Skousen, Associate Professor and Extension Reclamation Specialist, Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University; and Carl E. Zipper, Extension Specialist, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, and Associate Director, Powell River Project, Virginia Tech

Publication Number 460-122, January 1997

Grasses available for seeding in mine revegetation, eastern U.S.

Common Name (Scientific Name)	Principal Cultivars	Life Cycle1	Growth Season2	Origin3	Seeding Rate Lbs./ac4	Ease of Estab- lishment	Persist- ence
Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)	Numerous turf varieties	P	C	I	15-20	Fair	Fair
Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis)	Saratoga, Lincoln, others	P	C	I	10-15	Fair	Fair
Deertongue (Panicum clandestinum)	Tioga	P	W	N	10-15	Fair	Good
Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)	Kentucky31, Johnstone, Alta, Forager, Kenhy, Phyter, Athens	P	C	I	10-20	Good	Good
Weeping Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula)	Morpa	P	W	I	2-5	Good	Fair
Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata)	Pennlate, Hallmark, Potomac, others	P	C	I	10-20	Good	Good
Redtop (Agrostis gigantea)	Common	P	C	I	5-10	Fair	Good
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)	Numerous cultivars	P	C	I	10-15	Good	Fair
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)	Cave-in-Rock, Blackwell, Kanlow	P	W	N	2-5	Fair	Good
Timothy (Phleum pratense)	Bounty, Champlain, Clair, Timfor	P	C	I	5-10	Fair	Fair

¹ P - perennial, A - annual, B - biennial
² C - Cool Season, W - Warm Season
³ N - Native, I - Introduced
⁴ Seeding rate when species is used alone; should be reduced when species is used in mixtures.

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