Aussie Finch Forum

Any ideas on what this grass could be ?
It has a strange sweet smell to it .
Found it in my Fathers back yard in Collie .
Brad

Looks like Winter Grass. Grows in the lawn, can get to about 6" or so if not mowed, great finch tucker.

Does look like winter grass, and that is very popular with everything from Orange breasteds to Javas.
LML

An excuse not to mow the lawn is always good.I have the odd john stone grass in my lawn come up when I dont mow for a while swell.

Sorry guys I should have added that it is around 10-11 inches tall on the stem and grows from grass similar looking to that of veldt grass ... this ones not your common winter grass , I have plenty of that in my lawn and the diamonds love it ... and it gets me in the manure every winter because my "better" half can't stand that I allow the lawn to grow so long
However in saying that it does look like a larger version of the stubby winter grass .
The only odd thing is the strange smell ... but I do have a very sweet scented (arundella??) grass that I propagated from avione swamp grass nesting material !
It is in a chook pen run and they haven't kicked the bucket yet so it shouldn't be harmful .
Brad

Probably very well fertilised winter grass then

I agree that it's winter grass (Poa annua) or a closely related species. Birds do seems to like it but given how small the seed is there must be an energy cost in harvesting it compared to larger-seeded species like the millets (Settaria spp).

No smaller seed than chickweed, bluegrass. stipa, amaranthus, etc. all of which finches keenly eat. The fact that few other grass seeds are available in cooler months makes it very valuable finch tucker.