Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn, Turf, and Erosion Control Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF); variety unknown but exhibiting improved dense growth character compared to forage types.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a C3 grass; good cold tolerance; primary grass of the Transition Zone.
About This Grass
A robust, hardy cool-season grass with a deep green color and upright growth. It forms a dense turf but grows in individual clumps if thinned out. Texture is medium to coarse, and it stays green longer into the summer than many other cool-season grasses.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is medium-coarse (3-6mm); shape is flat with a distinctly pointed tip; color is medium to dark green with visible longitudinal veins on the upper surface; vernation is rolled in the bud; ligule is short, membranous; auricles are small or absent; collar is broad and divided.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (can reach 2-3 feet deep); low thatch-forming tendency; establishment speed is moderate (faster than bluegrass, slower than ryegrass); excellent wear recovery due to deep roots.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe, North Africa, and Eurasia; widely adapted and cultivated across the United States Transition Zone and temperate regions.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); very limited short rhizomes possible in some newer cultivars but primarily expands via tillering.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than many cool-season grasses); moderate water needs; highest drought tolerance among cool-season turfgrasses due to root depth. Prefers pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height 2.5-3.5 inches; weekly frequency; fertilization 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year; low dethatching needs; annual fall overseeding often required to maintain density; Medium maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance; moderate resistance to Brown Patch; salt sensitive; superior shade tolerance compared to KBG; excellent at preventing erosion; does not spread into flower beds like rhizomatous grasses.
Ecological Information
Introduced/naturalized in North America; provides soil stabilization for slopes; moderate wildlife value; can be invasive in native meadows or pastures if not managed; often blended with 5-10% Kentucky Bluegrass.