In North America, this alien occurs mostly in cool temperate regions of eastern and western states, plus adjacent Canada. It was introduced to Ky. at least a century ago, and considered exceptionally useful. Gm noted: "Among 40-50 forage plants kept growing at the Ky. Experimental Farm for a number of years, this has always, winter and summer, been one of the finest in appearance..." It was widely cultivated through the 1920s (Anderson 1924). However, it has now become generally uncommon to rare, since its agricultural role has been replaced by Festuca arundinacea. The coll. from SIMP (KY-Agr.) has been referred to var. bulbosum (Willd.) Spenner, and needs to be investigated further. In that taxon, culm nodes are relatively hairy, and those at the base of the plant are distinctly swollen; it is not well documented in North America (FNA 24).