Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF) - generic multi-cultivar blend
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7; widely utilized in the Transition Zone due to heat tolerance. Goes dormant and turns brown only in extreme cold or prolonged drought.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, deep-rooted grass that forms dense clumps. It is dark green in color and maintains its green longer into the winter than warm-season grasses. When unmowed, it can reach 3-4 feet; maintained turf is dense with vertical growth. Seed heads are open panicles.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blade width (4-10mm), flat shape with a distinctly pointed tip. Color is typically deep glossy green. Vernation is rolled in the bud. The upper surface has prominent equidistant ridges, while the underside is smooth and shiny. Ligule is short, membranous, and truncate; auricles are small or absent (short-ciliate/hairless).
Root System
Extremely deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep), allowing for superior drought tolerance compared to other cool-season grasses. It is a slow sod-former and has a low thatch-forming tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized across the United States, particularly in the Transition Zone.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); primary spreading mechanism is via tillering, though some newer cultivars possess short rhizomes.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; requires 4-6 hours of sunlight. Low to moderate watering once established. High drought tolerance for a cool-season grass. Prefers well-drained soil with pH 5.5 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 2.5 to 4.0 inches. Higher mowing in summer improves drought stress survival. Fertilization: 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually. Requires periodic overseeding because bunch-growth cannot self-repair large bare spots. Maintenance level: Medium.
Special Characteristics
Excellent traffic/wear tolerance once established. Highly resistant to heat and common lawn diseases like Dollar Spot, though susceptible to Brown Patch in humid summers. Excellent for erosion control on slopes.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America. Provides forage for livestock and nesting cover for birds in pasture settings. Many turf cultivars contain beneficial endophytes (symbiotic fungi) that provide natural resistance to leaf-feeding insects.