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 likely
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; has superior heat tolerance compared to Bluegrass but limited cold tolerance in extreme northern regions; goes dormant in high heat/extreme cold.
About This Grass
A coarse-to-medium textured grass that forms distinct bunches or clumps. It maintains a deep green color in mild temperatures but can exhibit patchy dormancy or browning under heat stress as seen in the image. Mature plants produce an open panicle seed head.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (>4mm), flat shape with a pointed tip, dark green color, rolled vernation, prominent longitudinal veins on top side with a shiny underside, no auricles, and a short membranous ligule.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep), low thatch tendency, rapid establishment from seed, excellent wear recovery via individual plant resilience but lacks the ability to fill bare spots quickly due to lack of stolons.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; now well-adapted to the Transition Zone and temperate North America.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) with occasional short rhizomes; lacks aggressive spreading ability.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Partial sun to full sun (4-6 hours minimum); moderate to high water needs for maintenance, though it has high drought avoidance due to deep roots; prefers pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0 to 4.0 inches; weekly frequency; 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually; low-medium maintenance with periodic overseeding required to fill bare patches.
Special Characteristics
Excellent traffic tolerance and shade tolerance for a cool-season grass; moderate salt and disease resistance (susceptible to Brown Patch in high humidity); poor ability to crowd out aggressive weeds once thinning occurs.
Ecological Information
Introduced species; provides soil stabilization on slopes; low wildlife value in mowed turf; non-invasive in most lawn settings but can dominate native grasslands if left unmowed in wild areas; often blended with Kentucky Bluegrass for self-repairing capabilities.