Grasses and Lawns

Podcast Transcript

One of the most common types of plants in the world is grass.

Grass is almost everywhere. An enormous part of the landmass on Earth is covered with grass.

Grass isn’t just stuff in a field that cows eat, although that is part of it. Grasses also include some of the most economically important plants in the world.

On many different levels, our civilization would not exist if it weren’t for grass.

Learn more about grass, what it is, and its important role in the world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

You probably think you know grass. If I say the word grass, then something very specific probably pops into your mind.

However, the typical grass you might see in a field or on a lawn is only a small part of the world of grasses.

Grasses actually comprise a large number of things that you probably have never considered to be grasses.

Grass refers to a large and diverse group of flowering plants belonging to the family Poaceae. (poh-AY-see-ee)

Poaceae is an enormous taxonomic family consisting of 780 genera and over 12,000 different species.

Grasses are monocots, meaning they sprout with a single seed leaf, and typically have narrow leaves growing from the base.

Beyond that, grasses have an enormous amount of diversity.

There are both C3 and C4 grasses. The terms C3 and C4 refer to two different pathways that plants use during photosynthesis—the process by which they convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into energy.

The number of plants that are categorized as grasses includes wheat, rice, barley, rye, sugarcane, and bamboo. This is on top of the grasses you might see in a lawn or a field.

Grasses, in the form of grains, are directly responsible for slightly over 50% of all the calories consumed in the world by humans.

Indirectly, they are responsible for even more.

Approximately 40% of the land area on Earth is covered by grass. As such, it serves as a foundational layer of the ecosystem for herbivores and ruminants.

Cows, sheep, goats, chickens, and many other animals all rely on grasses for their primary feed.

Most of that land is considered marginal land, which means that it isn’t satisfactory for cultivation or farming. It could be mountainous, rocky, or dry. While it might not be suitable for growing crops, it is fine for growing grass.

Grass allows marginal lands to be productive.

Grasses also play a crucial role in carbon sequestration by capturing carbon dioxide (CO?) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing it primarily in their extensive root systems.

Unlike trees, which store much of their carbon above ground, grasses deposit carbon deep into the soil as organic matter, where it can remain stable for decades or even centuries.

This underground storage makes grasslands and prairies especially resilient carbon sinks, less vulnerable to disturbances like wildfires or logging. Perennial grasses, particularly those in native ecosystems, contribute significantly to soil carbon accumulation because their roots grow deep and persist year-round.

Given how seemingly simple and basic grasses are, you might think that they were one of the first forms of plant life to have evolved. However, that is incorrect.

Grasses evolved relatively late in the history of plant life, but they rapidly became one of the most successful and widespread plant groups on Earth. Their evolutionary origins date back to the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 66 to 80 million years ago, at the end of the Age of the Dinosaurs.

Fossil evidence, including microscopic silica structures called phytoliths and even fossilized dinosaur dung, suggests that some dinosaurs may have grazed on primitive grasses, although grasses were not yet dominant in any ecosystem at that time.

The true rise of grasses came after the mass extinction that ended the Cretaceous, as Earth’s climate and ecosystems underwent dramatic change. During the Paleogene and Neogene periods, particularly over the last 20 to 30 million years, global temperatures cooled and forests began to recede in many regions.

Open, arid landscapes expanded, creating the ideal conditions for grasses to flourish. Grasses evolved key adaptations that gave them a competitive edge in these new environments: narrow leaves that reduced water loss, deep root systems for surviving drought, and the ability to regrow quickly. This adaptation made them resilient to grazing and fire.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then that the rise of grasses coincided with the rise of mammals.

Grasses and ruminants, such as cattle, bison, deer, and antelope, have co-evolved in many ecosystems, particularly in prairies, savannas, and steppes. Grasses tolerate and even benefit from grazing because their growth points are located at or below the soil surface, allowing them to regrow rapidly after being eaten.

In return, ruminants help grasses by trimming competing vegetation, stimulating new growth through regular grazing, spreading seeds via hooves and dung, and fertilizing the soil with nutrient-rich manure, especially nitrogen, which supports further grass growth.

Some grasses are also highly adapted to periodic fire, which is common in many natural grassland ecosystems. Fire clears away dead plant material, suppresses shrubs and trees that would otherwise outcompete grasses, and releases nutrients back into the soil.

Many grass species have evolved traits such as fire-resistant root systems, allowing for rapid regrowth after a burn, highly flammable dry leaves that actually promote fire spread, and seasonal growth cycles that sync with fire regimes, ensuring resilience.

Here, I want to focus the conversation on a particular type of grass.

I mentioned before that grasses are an enormous part of the global economy.

Yet, there is one particular category of grass that, in the U.S., is the largest irrigated crop by area, covering over 40 million acres. Despite the enormous resources devoted to it, it produces no food whatsoever.

I am, of course, talking about Turfgrass, or lawns.

Cultivated grass for ornamental purposes goes back a very long time.

In Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, archaeological evidence suggests wealthy households maintained small grass courtyards watered by irrigation systems.

In Ancient Greece and Rome wealthy citizens created outdoor spaces with short grass for recreation and aesthetic purposes.

Persian gardens incorporated grass as ground cover in their famous four-part layouts. These influenced later European garden design through Islamic Spain and returning Crusaders.

Likewise, in medieval Europe, castle courtyards and monastery gardens featured grass areas kept trim by livestock grazing.

However, the modern concept of a lawn didn’t really develop until the Renaissance.

The French developed the concept of the “parterre”, intricate patterned gardens featuring closely cropped grass areas.

Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles featured vast lawns that required armies of workers equipped with scythes to maintain. These workers, called “faucilleurs,” would arrive before dawn to cut the grass with long-handled scythes, creating the smooth, carpet-like appearance that became the gold standard for European aristocracy.

The landscape architect of Versailles, André Le Nôtre, popularized the idea of “tapis vert” or green carpet, which was exemplified in the expansive lawn areas of Versailles.

English nobility adapted French ideas but developed their own aesthetic preferences.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, “Bowling greens” became popular – smooth grass areas for bowling.

Grass walks were created, which were maintained pathways through gardens and parks.

The primary method of keeping the grass in these areas short was to allow sheep to graze.

Lancelot “Capability” Brown revolutionized garden design in the mid-18th century.

He replaced formal parterres with sweeping grass landscapes and created the “English landscape garden,” featuring vast lawns punctuated by trees.

His ideas of the English garden influenced wealthy landowners across Europe.

Technical developments also influenced the ability to sustain these vast lawns. Better metallurgy produced sharper, more efficient cutting tools to keep the grasses trim.

The development of specific grass varieties for ornamental use made such lawns easier to grow.

Wealthy American colonists imported European lawn concepts.

Virginia plantations such as Mount Vernon and Monticello featured extensive grass areas. Boston and Philadelphia merchants also created lawn-centered gardens.

Americans experimented with native grasses and also tended to use their lawns for both grazing and ornamentation; however, high maintenance costs restricted lawns to the wealthy.

The Industrial Revolution fundamentally transformed lawn care by making it accessible to a much broader segment of society. The most important single innovation was Edwin Budding’s mechanical lawn mower, patented in England in 1830.

Budding’s inspiration came from observing machines used to cut the nap on velvet in textile factories. He realized that similar rotating blade technology could be adapted to cut grass uniformly and efficiently.

Thomas Green brought mower technology to the United States in the 1850s, and by 1885, several American companies were producing affordable mowers that middle-class homeowners could purchase.

This democratization of lawn maintenance technology meant that maintaining a lawn no longer required hiring teams of workers with scythes. A single homeowner could now maintain a respectable lawn with a few hours of work each week.

Cultural shifts during this period were equally important in promoting lawn culture. Andrew Jackson Downing, an influential American landscape designer, promoted lawns as democratic ideals that could beautify ordinary homes and neighborhoods.

Frederick Law Olmsted’s design for Central Park in 1857 showcased large public grass areas that demonstrated how lawns could serve community needs while still being aesthetically pleasing.

The early 1900s saw a dramatic expansion of lawn culture as it moved from being primarily associated with the wealthy to becoming a middle-class aspiration. Streetcar suburbs allowed middle-class families to reside in residential neighborhoods with small lots, typically featuring front and back lawns.

Power equipment began transforming lawn maintenance during the 1920s. Gasoline-powered mowers made it possible to maintain larger lawn areas with less physical effort. Automated irrigation systems became available to wealthy homeowners, while rotary mowers with more efficient cutting mechanisms were developed. These technological advances made lawn ownership more attractive by reducing the time and effort required for maintenance.

The period following World War II witnessed the most dramatic expansion of lawn culture in history. Post-war America experienced unprecedented suburban development driven by several converging factors that made lawns standard features of middle-class life.

The 1950s and 1960s brought a chemical revolution in lawn care. Herbicides developed in the 1940s allowed selective weed control without killing grass, simplifying lawn maintenance significantly. Pre-emergent herbicides made it possible to prevent crabgrass and other weeds before they could germinate.

Water issues became increasingly prominent concerns. The droughts of the 1970s questioned the wisdom of water-intensive lawn practices, particularly in arid regions. Municipal water restrictions began regulating lawn watering, ushering in the xeriscaping movement.

Xeriscaping is a landscaping approach designed to reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation, making it especially useful in arid and drought-prone regions.

The term comes from the Greek word “xeros,” meaning dry, and emphasizes the use of water-efficient plants, such as native grasses, succulents, and drought-tolerant shrubs, as well as strategic design elements like mulch and rock gardens.

Grass is so plentiful and common in our world that few people bother to think about it.

Yet, it is the lowly grasses that are responsible for the world we live in. They feed us, enrich the soil, provide the basis for entire ecosystems, and make our world a more beautiful place to live in.