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, and Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF); variety unknown, likely a modern turf-type cultivar based on the dark green color and medium-fine texture.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for the transition zone; good cold tolerance; stays green longer into winter than warm-season grasses.
About This Grass
A hardy, dark green grass forming dense bunches. It maintains color well in heat. Unmowed, it can reach 3-4 feet with open panicle seed heads; maintained, it forms a uniform, coarse-to-medium textured turf.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width 4-10mm (coarser than bluegrass), pointed tips, prominent veins on the upper surface (ribbed). Vernation is rolled in the bud. Ligule is short and membranous; auricles are small or absent (short-pubescent).
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep) providing superior drought tolerance; low thatch tendency; moderate establishment speed from seed; does not form a dense sod like rhizomatous grasses.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized across North America, especially in the Transition Zone and cool-humid regions.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); lacks significant rhizomes or stolons, though some modern cultivars are 'rhizomatous-enhanced' for slow creeping.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun to Moderate Shade; prefers 6+ hours of sun but is the most shade-tolerant of the common cool-season turf grasses. High drought tolerance for a cool-season grass due to deep roots.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0-4.0 inches; frequency weekly; fertilization 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft/year; low dethatching needs; requires periodic overseeding to fill in bare spots due to bunch growth habit.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance; excellent drought resistance; susceptible to Brown Patch in high humidity; good salt tolerance; effectively crowds out weeds when kept dense.
Ecological Information
Introduced status in North America; provides soil stabilization on slopes; low wildlife value in turf form but used for forage in pastures; can be invasive in native meadows.