Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (now Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF), likely a modern cultivar such as 'Rebel' or 'Falcon IV' based on the dense, finer blade width visible.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for cool-season category; stays green into winter in transition zones but can go dormant in extreme cold.
About This Grass
A deep-rooted, dark green, bunch-type grass. Forms a dense, uniform turf when seeded heavily. Height can reach 3-4 feet if unmowed, exhibiting a coarse to medium texture depending on cultivar. Seed heads are large panicles produced in late spring.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width 3-6mm; pointed tips; prominent parallel veins (ribbed) on the upper surface; light green to dark green color; vernation is rolled in the bud; ligule is short and membranous; auricles are small or absent (short hairs may be present).
Root System
Exceptionally deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep); slow to form thatch; fast establishment from seed; forms a stable sod through High density seeding rather than spreading.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely adapted to the Transition Zone in North America.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) through tillering; lacks extensive rhizomes or stolons; grows in dense tufts.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun to Partial Shade (highly shade tolerant for a cool-season grass); moderate water needs but possesses high drought resistance due to root depth; prefers well-drained soil with pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0-4.0 inches; mowing frequency 5-7 days during peak growth; fertilization 2-4 lbs N/1000 sq ft/year; low dethatching needs; high maintenance level for elite appearance.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance; excellent traffic recovery; resistant to many common turf diseases but susceptible to Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia) in high humidity; moderate salt tolerance.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in North America; provides soil stabilization on slopes; often contains beneficial endophytes (fungi) that provide natural pest resistance but can be toxic to grazing livestock.