Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3
Grass Family
Poaceae, Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf, Pasture, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF); potentially a common cultivar like 'Titan' or 'Falcon'
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent cold and heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; semi-dormant in extreme heat/cold.
About This Grass
A dense, upright-growing grass with a coarse to medium texture. It maintains a deep green color throughout much of the year but may turn brown during extreme heat or drought. Seed heads are large, open panicles.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width 4-8mm (coarse/medium), flat shape, pointed tip, dark green with prominent parallel veins on the upper surface. Vernation is rolled in the bud, ligule is short and membranous, auricles are absent or very small and blunt.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep), which provides excellent drought tolerance and stability. Low thatch tendency; slow recovery from heavy wear due to bunching habit.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; now common throughout North America, especially the Transition Zone
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) with occasionally short rhizomes in newer turf-type cultivars
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most cool-season grasses); moderate water needs with high drought tolerance once established; prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5-7.5).
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0-4.0 inches; frequency every 5-7 days during peak growth; 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually; low to medium maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance for foot traffic, high drought tolerance, moderate shade tolerance, and good resistance to Brown Patch and other common turf diseases.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized; provides soil stabilization for slopes/hillsides; low wildlife food value compared to natives; often used in mixtures with 5-10% Kentucky Bluegrass.