Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Pasture/Forage, Turf/Lawn, and Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Common or Forage-type (likely due to broad blades and bunchy growth)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for cool-season category; stays green longer in autumn than many grasses.
About This Grass
A coarse, deep-rooted perennial grass that forms dense clumps. When unmowed, it can reach 3-4 feet in height. Color is typically medium to dark green. It has a high growth density but does not form a creeping sod; lacks stolons.
Blade Characteristics
Medium to coarse (4-10mm wide) blades with prominent longitudinal veins on the upper surface. Blade tips are sharply pointed. Vernation is rolled in the bud. Ligule is a short, blunt membrane; auricles are small and minutely hairy; collar is broad and divided.
Root System
Extremely deep fibrous root system often reaching 2-3 feet depth; low thatch tendency; very slow to recover from wear or bare spots due to bunch habit.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; now naturalized throughout Northern and Transition Zones of North America.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); can occasionally produce short rhizomes but primarily spreads by tillering.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; requires moderate watering but possesses excellent drought tolerance for a cool-season grass due to deep roots. Prefers well-drained soils with pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Typical lawn height 3.0-4.0 inches (mow higher in summer); low to medium maintenance; requires 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually; needs core aeration but rarely dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Excellent wear tolerance once established; high resistance to heat and drought; susceptible to Brown Patch disease in high humidity; good shade tolerance compared to Bermuda.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized; provides high value forage for livestock (though some varieties contain endophytes); excellent for soil stabilization; can be invasive in native prairie restorations; often mixed with Kentucky Bluegrass.