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, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF), likely a common domestic blend based on the bunching habit and medium-coarse texture.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-9; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; good cold hardiness.
About This Grass
A hardy, coarse-textured grass that grows in distinct clumps. It maintains a deep green color year-round in many climates. When unmowed, it can reach 3-4 feet; maintained turf stays dense and upright. Seed heads are open panicles.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (4-10mm wide) with a prominent midrib and distinct longitudinal veins on the upper surface. Blade tips are pointed (not boat-shaped). Vernation is rolled in the bud. Ligules are short and membranous; auricles are small or absent.
Root System
Extremely deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep), which provides superior drought tolerance. Low thatch-forming tendency; slow to recover from damage due to lack of spreading stolons/rhizomes.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized throughout North America, especially in the Transition Zone and temperate regions.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); very limited rhizome development in modern cultivars; forms dense individual clusters rather than a creeping sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to moderate shade (one of the most shade-tolerant cool-season grasses). Requires 4-6 hours of sun. Moderate water needs but excels in drought by going semi-dormant.
Mowing & Maintenance
Recommended height of 3.0 to 4.0 inches to maintain health and shade out weeds. Requires 2-4 lbs of Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually. High maintenance for turf quality; low maintenance for utility.
Special Characteristics
High wear tolerance once established; high drought tolerance; resistant to many common turf diseases but susceptible to Brown Patch in high humidity; excellent for high-traffic home lawns.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in North America. Provides soil stabilization on slopes due to deep roots. Used in pastures for livestock if endophyte-friendly. Can be invasive in native prairie restoration sites.