Fine Fescue (specifically Creeping Red Fescue or Hard Fescue)
Festuca rubra (subsp. rubra or subsp. commutata) or Festuca brevipila · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf, Ornamental, Shade Mixture, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Indeterminate based on image; common types include 'Chewings', 'Creeping Red', and 'Hard Fescue' cultivars.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3-7; excellent cold tolerance; poor heat tolerance in the Deep South; enters dormancy during extreme summer heat.
About This Grass
A fine-textured, needle-like grass that forms dense, soft clumps or mats. Displays a dark to medium green color with a delicate, hair-like appearance. When unmown, it can reach 12-18 inches with nodding panicle seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is very fine (<1.5mm), needle-like or bristle-like. Shape is folded or involute. Tip is sharply pointed. Color is dark green to blue-green. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is very short and membranous; auricles are absent.
Root System
Fibrous and relatively deep for cool-season grasses. Creeping varieties produce short rhizomes. Establishment is slow to moderate; forms minimal thatch and provides excellent soil stability on slopes.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe and parts of Asia and North America; widely adapted to northern temperate zones and high altitudes.
Growth Habit
Varies by subspecies: Creeping Red is rhizomatous (forming loose sod), while Hard and Chewings are bunch-type (clump-forming).
Sunlight & Water Needs
Exceptional shade tolerance (2-4 hours sun minimum); prefers well-drained, sandy soils; low water needs once established; high drought tolerance through summer dormancy.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 2.5 to 4 inches. Low mowing frequency required. Low fertilization (1-2 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually). Low maintenance level; sensitive to over-watering and high nitrogen.
Special Characteristics
Highest shade tolerance of cool-season grasses; excellent salt tolerance; low wear tolerance (not suitable for high-traffic sports fields); naturally resistant to many common turf diseases.
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized; serves as vital cover for small mammals and insects in 'no-mow' zones; non-invasive in most ecosystems; frequently used in 'Low-Mow' or 'Bee Lawn' seed mixes with clover.