When does autumn bent grass bloom?

Autumn bent grass produces its delicate, open flower panicles from July through October, with peak display typically in late summer and early fall.

What growing conditions does autumn bent grass prefer?

It does best in part sun with medium moisture but tolerates drier soils and dappled shade, making it a fit for open woodland edges, clearings, and disturbed ground.

Is autumn bent grass evergreen?

No, it is a deciduous perennial grass that dies back to the base after the growing season and regrows the following spring.

Does autumn bent grass attract pollinators?

No specific pollinator relationships have been documented for this grass; like many bent grasses, it is wind pollinated rather than insect pollinated.

Is Autumn Bent toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Autumn Bent as toxic to livestock.

Is Autumn Bent HOA-friendly?

Autumn Bent takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Autumn Bent

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Agrostis perennans

Last reviewed: August 2026

Agrostis perennans, or autumn bent, is a slender perennial grass that blooms from July through October with airy, open panicles. It grows well in dry to medium soil along woodland edges, clearings, and roadsides.

Toxicity unknown

Autumn Bent (Agrostis perennans) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Autumn Bent as toxic to livestock.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

12"–36" H × 6"–12" W

Bloom

Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Native to

AL, AR, CA, CT and 36 more states

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Cross Timbers East Central Texas Plains South Central Plains Eastern Temperate Forests Ozark Highlands Central Irregular Plains Piedmont Northern Glaciated Plains Western Corn Belt Plains Northern Forests Northern Lakes and Forests North Central Hardwood Forests Driftless Area Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains Central Corn Belt Plains Eastern Corn Belt Plains Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains Huron/Erie Lake Plains Northeastern Highlands Northeastern Coastal Zone Northern Allegheny Plateau Erie Drift Plain Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Piedmont Southeastern Plains Blue Ridge Ridge and Valley Central Appalachians Western Allegheny Plateau Interior Plateau Interior River Valleys and Hills Mississippi Alluvial Plain Mississippi Valley Loess Plains Southern Coastal Plain Acadian Plains and Hills Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens

Autumn bent is a native perennial grass that forms loose clumps with fine-textured foliage. It produces delicate, airy flower panicles from summer through fall that create a soft, naturalistic appearance in the landscape.

Growing Autumn Bent

Grow Autumn Bent in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 6 to 12 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Autumn Bent takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Informal growth habit may appear unkempt
Fine texture can look weedy to untrained eye
Goes dormant in winter leaving brown stubble

Wildlife value

This native grass provides habitat and nesting material for birds and supports various insects. The seeds offer food for songbirds and small mammals throughout fall and winter.

Common questions

When does autumn bent grass bloom?: Autumn bent grass produces its delicate, open flower panicles from July through October, with peak display typically in late summer and early fall.
What growing conditions does autumn bent grass prefer?: It does best in part sun with medium moisture but tolerates drier soils and dappled shade, making it a fit for open woodland edges, clearings, and disturbed ground.
Is autumn bent grass evergreen?: No, it is a deciduous perennial grass that dies back to the base after the growing season and regrows the following spring.
Does autumn bent grass attract pollinators?: No specific pollinator relationships have been documented for this grass; like many bent grasses, it is wind pollinated rather than insect pollinated.
Is Autumn Bent toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Autumn Bent as toxic to livestock.
Is Autumn Bent HOA-friendly?: Autumn Bent takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Autumn Bent? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden

iPhone app Android app

Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz