Timothy Grass

A cool-season perennial grass (Phleum pratense) native to Europe and cultivated across the temperate world as one of the most widely grown hay grasses, particularly valued for horse and cattle feed because of its palatability and consistent nutritional quality. It was introduced to North America by early colonists and takes its common name from Timothy Hanson, who promoted its cultivation in the American colonies in the early eighteenth century after encountering the grass being grown by settlers further north. Timothy remains a dominant component of hay production in the northern United States, Canada and much of northern Europe, typically grown in mixtures with legumes such as clover to balance yield and nutritional value.