North America Non-native Plant

Poa Cenisia Sardoa

Botanical name: Poa cenisia sardoa

USDA symbol: POCES

Habit: grass

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Synonyms: Poa fontqueri Braun-Blanq. (POFO9)   

Poa cenisia sardoa: The Mystery Grass That’s Hard to Pin Down If you’ve stumbled across the name Poa cenisia sardoa while researching grasses for your garden, you might be scratching your head wondering what exactly this plant is. Don’t worry – you’re not alone! This particular grass species is something ...

Poa cenisia sardoa: The Mystery Grass That’s Hard to Pin Down

If you’ve stumbled across the name Poa cenisia sardoa while researching grasses for your garden, you might be scratching your head wondering what exactly this plant is. Don’t worry – you’re not alone! This particular grass species is something of an enigma in the gardening world, with very little readily available information for home gardeners.

What We Know About This Elusive Grass

Poa cenisia sardoa belongs to the Poaceae family, which means it’s a true grass. You might also see it listed under its synonym, Poa fontqueri Braun-Blanq., though neither name will likely ring bells for most gardeners. This plant falls into that category of grasses that botanists know about but that hasn’t made its way into mainstream gardening consciousness.

The Geographic Mystery

Here’s where things get a bit frustrating for curious gardeners: the native range and geographical distribution of Poa cenisia sardoa remain unclear from available sources. Without knowing where this grass naturally occurs, it’s difficult to determine whether it would be a good native choice for your specific region.

Should You Grow Poa cenisia sardoa?

This is where I have to be completely honest with you – there’s simply not enough reliable information available about this grass to make a solid recommendation either way. We don’t know:

  • Its preferred growing conditions
  • What climate zones it thrives in
  • How tall it grows or how it spreads
  • Whether it provides benefits to wildlife or pollinators
  • Its care requirements

What This Means for Your Garden

Given the lack of information about Poa cenisia sardoa, most gardeners would be better served choosing well-documented native grasses for their region. There are plenty of beautiful, beneficial native grasses with established growing guides and known wildlife benefits.

If you’re specifically interested in Poa species, consider researching other members of this genus that are better documented and more readily available, such as Poa pratensis (though check if it’s native to your area) or other local native bluegrass species.

The Bottom Line

Sometimes in the plant world, we encounter species that remain scientific curiosities rather than garden-ready plants. Poa cenisia sardoa appears to fall into this category. While it’s undoubtedly an interesting grass from a botanical perspective, the lack of available growing information makes it impractical for most home gardeners.

If you’re passionate about native plants, focus your energy on well-documented native grasses in your area. Your local native plant society or extension office can point you toward grasses that will thrive in your garden while supporting local ecosystems – and come with clear growing instructions!

Poa Cenisia Sardoa

Classification

Group

Monocot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Liliopsida - Monocotyledons

Subclass

Commelinidae

Order

Cyperales

Family

Poaceae Barnhart - Grass family

Genus

Poa L. - bluegrass

Species

Poa cenisia All.

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA