Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 landscape grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Pasture, and Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF); likely a modern cultivar due to medium-fine leaf texture and dark green color.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; remains green through mild winters; goes semi-dormant in extreme cold or drought.
About This Grass
A robust, deep-rooted grass forming dense clumps. It features a rich dark green color and a moderately coarse to medium texture. When unmowed, it can reach 3-4 feet; produces panicle-type seed heads in late spring.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width 3-6mm; flat shape with a distinctly pointed tip; dark green with prominent longitudinal veins (ribbed upper surface); rolled vernation in the bud; ligule is short and membranous; auricles are small or absent.
Root System
Extremely deep fibrous root system (up to 2-3 feet); low thatch tendency; moderate establishment speed from seed; high wear recovery but slow to fill in bare spots due to bunch habit.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe and North Africa; widely adapted to the Transition Zone and temperate regions of North America.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); lacks significant rhizomes or stolons; spreads mainly through tillering; high density when seeded heavily.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than many cool-season grasses); moderate to high water needs but possesses excellent drought avoidance due to root depth.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0-4.0 inches; frequency weekly during growth; 2-4 lbs Nitrogen/1000 sq ft/year; low dethatching needs; high maintenance during summer heat.
Special Characteristics
Excellent traffic tolerance; resistant to many turf diseases like Dollar Spot; susceptible to Brown Patch in high humidity; good salt tolerance; best-in-class shade tolerance among bunch grasses.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in North America; provides soil stabilization on slopes; low wildlife value in turf form but useful for forage in pastures; can be invasive in native prairies if not managed.