What is a Grass Plant?
Grass plants are the heart and soul of any beautiful lawn, but how much do you really know about that wonderful plant that makes up the lush, green color of a Grassmasters lawn?
The density and sheer amount of grass in your lawn may surprise you. A 4,000 square foot lawn typically contains around 3 million grass plants. That's right--you are officially the caretaker of literally millions of plants!
Let's take a closer look at your grass by breaking it down into three distinct areas: what you can see above the ground, what is at ground level, and what is below the ground.
Above the Ground
Shoot - Anything above the ground is called a shoot.
Stem - This sturdy piece supports the grass leaves.
Blade - The upper, broadest portion of the leaf.
Sheath - at the base of the blade, you'll find the sheath. This element wraps around the stem.
Collar - the area where the sheath and blade meet is called the collar.
Nodes - At the top of the stem, you'll find nodes. Buds emerge from the nodes after the grass is cut.
Tiller - Secondary shoots growing from the crown on the same grass plant.
Stolon - Stolons run from the crown and create "daughter" plants beside the original plant.
At Ground Level
Crown - Right at ground level, you can find the crown. All the action takes place here; think of it as grass plant junction. The leaves that you can see above ground emerge from the crown, and the roots that drive into the soil also emerge from the crown.
Below the Ground
Roots - Pretty obvious, but the roots are below ground. Roots soak up food and water, but they also and importantly give a grass plant its firmness, keeping it anchored to the ground.
Rhizomes - Functionally similar to stolons, rhizomes run underneath the ground to create daughter plants.
Final Thoughts
The anatomy of grass is surprisingly complex, but all the parts create a dense, lush lawn when you pay closer attention to caring for these resilient and beautiful plants.
If it seems complicated or overwhelming to nurture the health of millions of plants--don't worry. Grassmasters has your back. We'll partner with you to assure that your lawn is healthy, tough, and above all, beautiful.