Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; good cold hardiness; semi-dormant in extreme summer heat or winter cold.
About This Grass
A hardy, coarse to medium-textured grass with a deep green color. It grows in dense clumps and maintains color well into the fall. Seed heads are panicles, though rarely seen in maintained lawns.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width 4-10mm (coarse/medium); prominent regular veins on upper surface; smooth underside; pointed tips; rolled vernation in the bud; ligule is short and membranous; auricles are usually absent or very small and hairless.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep); slow to form thatch; excellent drought avoidance due to root depth; slow recovery from wear due to lack of extensive runners.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized in North America, particularly the US Transition Zone
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); some newer cultivars possess short rhizomes
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most cool-season grasses); moderate water needs but high drought tolerance; prefers well-drained soil with pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0-4.0 inches; frequency weekly during peak growth; 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually; medium maintenance requirement.
Special Characteristics
High traffic tolerance once established; good disease resistance (though susceptible to Brown Patch); low thatch production; best shade tolerance among common lawn grasses in the transition zone.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; provides soil stabilization on slopes; low wildlife food value compared to native grasses; often bundled with endophytes (beneficial fungi) that deter herbivory.