Tall Fescue
Schedonorus arundinaceus (formerly Festuca arundinacea) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass; highly adaptable and serves well in the transition zone.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Pasture, and Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
'Rebel IV' or similar turf-type tall fescue cultivars known for improved dark green color, finer texture, and dense growth.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9. Excellent heat and drought tolerance for a cool-season grass, and good cold tolerance. Well-suited for the transition zone.
About This Grass
Forms a moderately dense, upright turf with medium-coarse texture. Unmowed height can reach 2 to 4 feet with open, lax panicle seed heads. Color is rich medium to dark green with good wear tolerance.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are medium-coarse (4-8mm wide), flat with prominent parallel veins on the upper surface and a shiny keel underneath. Tips are pointed. Vernation is rolled in the bud. Ligule is a short membrane, and auricles are blunt or absent.
Root System
Exceptionally deep root system (often reaching 2 to 3 feet or more) providing superior drought resistance compared to most other cool-season grasses. Moderate establishment speed, forms a moderately dense sod, and has a low to moderate thatch-forming tendency.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized and cultivated throughout North America, particularly the transition and cool-humid regions.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming) with short, underground rhizomes in turf-type cultivars that allow for modest lateral spreading and repair.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Performs best in full sun to partial shade (good shade tolerance for a cool-season grass). Requires moderate watering once established, exhibits high drought tolerance due to deep roots, and prefers well-drained loamy soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches. Mowing frequency is weekly during peak growing seasons. Fertilization needs are moderate (2 to 4 lbs N per 1,000 sq ft per year). Requires occasional overseeding to fill in thin spots since it lacks aggressive spreading stolons. Maintenance level is medium.
Special Characteristics
High wear and traffic tolerance, good disease resistance (though susceptible to brown patch in hot, humid weather), moderate salt tolerance, excellent deep-root drought recovery, and good erosion control.
Ecological Information
Introduced species widely used for soil stabilization, turf, and forage. Provides moderate wildlife habitat and food source for grazing animals. Often blended with Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass in turf seed mixes.