Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 carbon fixation pathway; highly popular in the Transition Zone
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, also used for Erosion Control and Pasture
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF); specific cultivar unknown but appears to be a modern, dark-green bread variety
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7 (best performance) through Zone 9; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; remains green through mild winters.
About This Grass
A dense, bunching grass with a deep green color and medium-coarse texture. In lawn applications, it forms a thick canopy. When unmowed, it can reach 3-4 feet with open panicle seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Width: 3-5mm (medium-coarse); Shape: flat with prominent longitudinal veins on top; Tip: distinctly pointed; Color: dark green; Vernation: rolled in the bud; Ligule: short, membranous; Auricles: small/absent or blunt; Texture: rough along margins.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often reaching 2-3 feet deep); low thatch-forming tendency; slow to moderate establishment speed from seed; does not form a true sod due to bunching habit.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized across North America, specifically the Transition Zone and Midwest
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) growth habit; occasionally produces short rhizomes but lacks aggressive spreading capability
Sunlight & Water Needs
Preference: Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most cool-season grasses); Water: 1-1.5 inches per week; Drought tolerance: High for a cool-season grass due to deep roots.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height: 3.0-4.0 inches; Frequency: weekly during growing season; Fertilization: 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually; Maintenance level: Medium; requires frequent overseeding since it does not spread.
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance once established; high drought resistance; moderate shade tolerance; susceptible to Brown Patch disease in high humidity; good salt tolerance.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in North America; provides forage for livestock and soil stabilization for slopes; can be invasive in native prairie restoration sites; often blended with Bluegrass for sod strength.