Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris) Native Seed

Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris) grows widely across the UK and thrives in a variety of habitats, including sand dunes, heaths, hay meadows, highland and lowland pastures, and open woodlands. It prefers neutral to slightly acidic soils and can tolerate both dry and damp conditions. The grass is an attractive relatively short grass that forms fine, delicate tufts that add texture to meadows and grasslands. The grass flower heads show from late May and into Mid-August. Its widespread presence supports wildlife, including insects and small mammals, making it an important component of natural and semi-natural habitats.

Sowing Information
The seed can be sown on to bare soil or into existing swards.

Price quoted per unit (gram of seed). This product has a minimum quantity of 10 grams. For orders over 1,000 grams please contact us

This is the Native Common Bent and has been harvested from Wild Sites. Please check that cheaper grass seed, with the same Latin Name is not an agricultural variety.

Please be aware that some online suppliers sell cheaper, imported seeds that may not be true UK natives and may not thrive in local conditions.

Habitat Information
Common bent is found on a wide range of soils both damp and dry and from neutral to acidic. It is a hardy grass particularly characteristic of short, grazed turf on poor soils on hills and mountains where it is often the dominant grass. It is also common and widespread in both lowland and upland pasture, meadows, heaths, open woodlands, road verges and banks.

Common bent is highly resistant to mowing, grazing and trampling and is also tolerant of both cold and dry conditions. It is also capable of adapting to grow in areas contaminated by heavy metals.

Growing Information
Common bent seed be sown at any time of the year when soil conditions are suitable. Having very small seed germination and development of ground cover can be slow at first, but once established it is quite persistent.

Common bent responds particularly well to frequent close mowing or grazing spreading out to form a low dense sward. For this reason, it is a valued grass for creating fine lawns, bowling and putting greens. In meadows and less intensively managed grassland it forms a minor component filling out the base of a mixed sward. Being a low growing grass it does not contribute much to grazing or hay productivity except on sites when little else grows. Dense bent patches, where they occur in a in a meadow, require a sharp scythe kept low to the ground for a good cut.