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 cultivar such as 'Rebel' or 'Falcon' series based on dark green color and finer texture than Kentucky 31
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; good cold hardiness; remains semi-evergreen in mild winters.
About This Grass
A coarse to medium-textured bunchgrass with a deep green color. It remains green throughout most of the year in transition zones. It forms dense clumps and has a vertical growth habit, reaching 2-4 feet if unmowed. Seed heads are open panicles.
Blade Characteristics
Width: 3-10mm (medium to coarse); Shape: flat; Tip: pointed (not boat-shaped); Color: dark green with prominent longitudinal veins (ribbed upper surface); Vernation: rolled in the bud; Ligule: short, membranous; Auricles: small/rudimentary or absent, sometimes with tiny hairs (ciliate) on the collar.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep); highest drought tolerance among cool-season grasses; slow to moderate establishment speed; low thatch-forming tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized in North America and adapted to the Transition Zone
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); very limited rhizomatous activity in certain new cultivars; lacks stolons; forms a dense sod through tillering
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most cool-season grasses); needs 4-6 hours of sun; moderate water needs but survives drought via deep roots; prefers well-drained soil with pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Height: 2.0-4.0 inches (higher in summer to protect crown); Frequency: weekly; Fertilization: 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year (primarily in Fall); Medium maintenance.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance; excellent drought resistance; susceptible to Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia) in hot/humid conditions; good salt tolerance; poor self-repair due to bunch growth habit.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; provides soil stabilization on slopes; used in pastures but can contain endophytes toxic to some livestock (turf varieties typically high-endophyte for insect resistance); generally not invasive in managed landscapes.