Brown-top bent (Agrostis capillaris)
Brown-top bent is an invasive perennial grass introduced as a turf species, and now considered an environmental weed in parts of southern Australia.
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How does this weed affect you?
Brown-top bent grass outcompetes native plants and pasture grasses, reducing productivity. It has been widely grown as a turf species in southern Australia, and is now considered an environmental weed in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
What does it look like?
Brown-top bent is a perennial grass that grows iup to 70 cm tall. It may be tufted or have spreading rhizomes.
The flat leaves are grey green or blue green and are 1-17 mm long and 1-5 mm wide.
The purple-brown flowers stand above leaves on long stems. Plants grow in spring and summer and flower from late spring to early summer. After seeds drop the flower head stays on the plant throughout winter. There are many cultivars and plants vary in size, shape and form.
Where is it found?
In New South Wales, brown-top bent grass has been found in the North Coast, Hunter, Greater Sydney, South East, Central Tablelands, Northern Tablelads, Murray and Riverina regions.
Brown-top bent is a perennial grass that is native to northern Africa, the Canary Islands, Europe and parts of western and central Asia.
It mainly grows in disturbed areas, with poorly drained low fertile acid soils. It invades coastal vegetation, heathlands, grasslands, woodlands, sclerophyll forests, and riparian vegetation. It also competes with native species in bog and fern communities of montane peatlands and swamps, and is common in disturbed areas in the sub-alpine and alpine areas of Kosciuszko National Park.
How does it spread?
Brown-top bent grass can produce thousands of seeds, which are spread by wind , water, animals and contaminated soil or grass/hay.
It can also spread by the movement of rhizomes and stolons, which can be spread by cultivation dn the movement of turf or soil.
References
Identic Pty Ltd. and Lucid (2016). Weeds of Australia Fact sheet: Agrostis capillaris L. Retrieved: 6 July 2026 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/agrostis_capillaris.htm
PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 6 July 2026 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Agrostis~capillaris
Rose, H. & Rose, C. (2012). Grasses of Coastal NSW. NSW. Department of Primary Industries.
More information
Control
Spray actively growing plants. Do not graze heavily before spraying. Follow up management is required to limit seedling re-establishment.
Cultivation will help limit seedling growth, however it can spread the rhizomes.
Herbicide options
Users of agricultural or veterinary chemical products must always read the label and any permit, before using the product, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the conditions of any permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the conditions of the permit by reason of any statement made or not made in this information. To view permits or product labels go to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website www.apvma.gov.au
See Using herbicides for more information.
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spot spray actively growing plants in late spring when they have some seed head development but before summer moisture stress.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Propyzamide 500 g/L
(Kerb)
Rate: 1.5 to 2.0 L per ha
Comments: Spray using calibrated equipment. Apply pre- or early post weed emergence. For use in lucerne, clovers, medics or other crops grown for forage, seed or hay production. Use higher rates on heavy soils.
Withholding period: Do not harvest or graze within 90 days after application of 4 L of Kerb SC herbicide /ha or 60 days after application of less than 4 L /ha.
Herbicide group: 3 (previously group D), Inhibitors of microtubule assembly
Resistance risk: Moderate
Biosecurity duty
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
| Area | Duty |
|---|---|
| All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
Reviewed 2024
