Annual bluegrass seeds may give turf areas a whitish appearance.

• A. It may give areas a brown appearance
• B. It forms a dense mat
• C. It may give areas a whitish appearance
• D. It has a creeping root system

Answer: (C)

Annual bluegrass seedheads create a visible pale, whitish cast on turf when the plant goes to seed. As Poa annua flowers, long light-colored seed stalks rise above the leaf blades, reflecting light and giving the turf a pale, whitish appearance. This is a diagnostic sign of Poa annua in cool-season turfs, especially in spring when seed production peaks. The other options describe symptoms that are not typical of annual bluegrass seed production: a brown tint points to drought or stress, a dense mat is more characteristic of creeping grasses or heavy thatch, and a creeping root system isn’t a defining feature of annual bluegrass (it’s more of a bunch-type grass).