Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF) - generic multi-cultivar blend
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass, making it the primary choice for the Transition Zone.
About This Grass
A coarse to medium-textured grass with a deep green color. In the photo, it displays a clumping growth habit with visible brown thinning, likely due to summer dormancy or heat stress. Seed heads are panicles, though rarely seen in mowed lawns.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is medium to coarse (3-10mm). Venation is prominent with longitudinal ribs on the upper surface. Tips are pointed (acuminate). Vernation is rolled in the bud. Ligule is short and membranous; auricles are small or absent (short-ciliate).
Root System
Deep fibrous root system, often reaching 2-3 feet deep, providing superior drought resistance compared to other cool-season grasses. Does not form a thick thatch layer or a dense spreading sod.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized in North America, particularly the U.S. Transition Zone
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); lacks significant rhizomes or stolons, leading to a patchy appearance if damaged.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Prefers Full Sun but has moderate shade tolerance. Requires roughly 1 inch of water per week; can go dormant during extreme drought. Prefers well-drained soil with pH 5.5 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
High mowing height recommended (3.0-4.0 inches) to protect the crown and encourage deep roots. Requires 2-4 lbs of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft annually. Low to medium maintenance, but requires periodic overseeding.
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance and traffic resistance due to tough leaf tissue. High resistance to many common turf diseases like dollar spot, though susceptible to Brown Patch in high humidity.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in North America. Provides soil stabilization on slopes. Often contains endophytic fungi that provide natural resistance to surface-feeding insects like sod webworms.