Tall Fescue
Schedonorus arundinaceus · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass, highly adapted as a transition zone grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-type tall fescue cultivars (e.g., 'Rebel', 'Titan')
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9; excellent heat and drought tolerance for a cool-season grass, making it a staple of the transition zone; goes semi-dormant in severe drought or intense summer heat.
About This Grass
Medium to coarse textured bunchgrass forming an upright, moderately dense turf. Height reaches 2 to 4 feet if unmowed, maintained at 2 to 3 inches. Color ranges from medium to dark green. Exhibits summer dormancy or heat stress symptoms (browning) under extreme drought conditions.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium-coarse in width (2-6mm), flat with prominent parallel veins on the upper surface, pointed tips, dark to medium green color, rolled in the bud (vernation), with a narrow membranous ligule and small or absent auricles.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (up to 2-3 feet deep in mature stands), moderate to slow establishment speed, low to moderate thatch tendency, excellent drought avoidance due to deep roots.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe; widely naturalized and cultivated across North America, particularly in the transition zone and cooler humid regions
Growth Habit
Bunch-type grass with short, underground rhizomes providing limited lateral spread and forming moderately dense tufts
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to moderate shade; requires 1 inch of water per week during growing season; high drought tolerance once established due to deep rooting capacity; prefers well-drained loamy soils with pH between 5.5 and 6.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 3.5 inches; high mowing height helps retain moisture and shade roots; fertilization rate of 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year; medium maintenance level; requires periodic overseeding as it does not aggressively spread to fill bare patches.
Special Characteristics
Good traffic and wear tolerance, moderate disease resistance (susceptible to brown patch in hot, humid weather), good shade tolerance, excellent drought recovery, excellent for erosion control on slopes.
Ecological Information
Introduced species; provides good wildlife cover and nesting habitat; excellent soil stabilization due to deep root system; often blended with Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass in turf applications.