Poaceae

Sweet vernalgrass

Anthoxanthum odoratum L.

Family: Poaceae
Genus: Anthoxanthum

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Sweet vernalgrass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) — FlowerPhoto: Tom Norton, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (23)

Arabic: أنثوكسانتم, حبوب الدريس, عشب الربيع الحلو
Chinese: 香黃花茅, 黃花茅, 黄花茅, 甜香草, 百骑大栗树, 香黄花茅
Czech: Tomka vonná
Dutch: Gewoon reukgras
English: Sweet vernalgrass, Sweet vernal grass, Sweet vernal-grass, Vernal grass
Esperanto: Odora antoksanto
Estonian: Lõhnav maarjahein
Finnish: Tuoksusimake, Eteläntuoksusimake
French: Flouve odorante
German: Gewöhnliches Ruchgras, Ruchgras, Geruchgras, Wohlriechendes Ruchgras
hsb: Synowa wóń, Synowóń, Słodźa trawa, Słódka trawa, Wonjaca trawa
Hungarian: Illatos borjúpázsit
Icelandic: Antoxanthum odoratum
Korean: 봄띠
Norwegian Bokmål: Gulaks
Polish: Tomka wonna
Russian: Душистоколосник душистый, Душистый колосок пахучий, Пахучеколосник душистый, Пахучий колосок
Slovenian: Dišeča boljka
Spanish: Alestas, Alestaz, Flor de flores, Grama de olor, Gramas de olor, Lesta, Pasto oloroso
Swedish: Vårbrodd, Vanlig vårbrodd
Turkish: Kokulu çayır otu
Ukrainian: Пахучий колосок
Welsh: Perwellt y gwanwyn

Synonyms

Anthoxanthum alpinum Schur
Anthoxanthum asperum W.Mann ex Opiz
Anthoxanthum nebrodense Lojac.
Anthoxanthum odoratum f. montanum A.Nyár.
Anthoxanthum odoratum f. odoratum
Anthoxanthum odoratum f. tenerum (Asch. & Graebn.) A.Nyár.
Anthoxanthum odoratum subsp. odoratum
Anthoxanthum odoratum subvar. corsicum Briq.
Anthoxanthum odoratum subvar. foucaudii Briq.
Anthoxanthum odoratum subvar. marsillyanum Briq.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. altissimum Eaton & Wright
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. asperum (Mann ex Opiz) Opiz
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. bulgaricum Velen.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. ciliatum Grossh.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. corsicum (Briq.) Rouy
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. effusum Gray
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. glabrum Lefèvre
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. hirsutulum Legendre
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. humile Tinant
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. kovarovicii Opiz
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. laxum Wimm. & Grab.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. montanum Asch. & Graebn.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. odoratum
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. opizii Uechtr.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. paniculatum Rchb.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. pilosum Döll
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. pubescens Uechtr.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. pubiculmis Rohlena
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. ramosum Hausskn.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. rigidum Beauverd
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. rothii Opiz
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. saxatile Opiz
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. semiglabrum Schur
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. sommierianum (Ricci) Fiori
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. subramosum DC.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. tenerum Asch. & Graebn.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. triaristatum Beck
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. umbrosum Asch.
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. verticillatum Rohlena
Anthoxanthum odoratum var. villosissimum Freyn

and 13 more.

Flowers

In flower: April to June (from 1,072 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Graminoid
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Alaska: introduced, Canada: introduced, Greenland: introduced, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Tom Norton, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Judson Collins, CC0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Jacqui Geux, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Eika Glasgow, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Constanza Vargas Villegas, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Justin Felder, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Stella Fish, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Anthoxanthum

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.