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Scientific name:	Phleum pratense L.
Cultivars:	•Most timothy is unimproved. •Improved cultivars" Essex, Cornell 1777, Lorain, Marietta, Itasca, Clair, Climax, Drummond, Medon, Paton.
Origin:	Europe
Growth Habit:	Bunch type, 2 to 3 ft tall, shallow roots Lower internode thickens, bulblike, (haplocorm)
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Use
Production:	Mainly hay-sometimes pasture and silage. Great in mixes with forage legumes. 3 to 4 tons DM/acre Usually not recommended where bromegrass and orchard grass grow because it yields less
Nutritive Value:	High nutritive value in spring Immature is highly palatable
Herbaria Image:	Click this link
Identification
Seed Head:	Panicle (cylindric & compact; spike like) No cold treatment required for flowering
Seed:	Semi-flattened ovoid. Tan-brown in color. Short palea and lemma may be attached.
Shoot:	Lower 2 internodes become thickened or swollen, bulblike (haplocorm) and are reserve organs
Leaf:	Smooth, hairless, grey-green color. Flat and pointed. 3 to 10 mm wide, 30-45cm long.
Auricles:	Absent
Ligule:	Obtuse, 2 to 4mm
Adaptation
Soil:	Finer textured soils, clay, silt loam. Prefers high fertility.
pH:	5.5 to 7
Moisture:	Moist soils, but does not tolerate long periods of flooding. Extremely vulnerable to drought
Temperature:	Winter hardy Cool and humid. Grows best at 65 to 72°F
Other:
Establishment - Management
Seeding rate:	8 to 10 lbs/acre alone, 4-6lbs/acre in mixtures. Typically drilled.
Seed cost:	~$135/50 lb bag
Planting date:	Early spring or late summer
Planting depth:	1/2 in
Frost seeding:	Intermediate response
Fertilization:	Highly responsive to fertilization, especially N.
Grazing:	Sensitive to overgrazing. Cannot be grazed closely or continuously Can be grazed before jointing, and between early and full head. Graze to 3 inch+ stubble.
Hay:	Easy to harvest and cure Should be harvested in spring during late boot-early flower stage for highest quality. Cut to 3 inch+ stubble.
Notes
Regarded as a short lived perennial