Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. 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 dwarf cultivar
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; remains green through mild winters; dormant during extreme heat or cold.
About This Grass
A hardy, deep-rooted grass with a rich green color. It forms a dense canopy though it lacks the aggressive spreading of bluegrass. Grows 2-4 feet if unmowed; maintained at 3-4 inches. Seed heads are large, open panicles.
Blade Characteristics
Medium to coarse width (3-5mm); flat shape with a distinctly pointed tip; dark green with prominent parallel veins on the upper surface; rolled vernation; lacks auricles; ligule is short and membranous.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (up to 2-3 feet); low thatch tendency; moderate establishment speed; excellent drought tolerance due to depth; good wear recovery from tillering.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely adapted to the Transition Zone of the United States
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) with occasional short rhizomes; dense tillering
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most cool-season grasses); requires roughly 1 inch of water per week; prefers pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0-4.0 inches; weekly mowing; 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually; aeration recommended; high maintenance due to lack of self-repairing spreading.
Special Characteristics
Outstanding traffic tolerance; resistant to many turf diseases like summer patch; moderate salt tolerance; highest drought tolerance among common cool-season turfgrasses.
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized; used for soil stabilization on slopes; low wildlife value in turf form; often blended with 5-10% Kentucky Bluegrass to improve sod knitting.