Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Pasture/Forage Grass and Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Kentucky-31 (K-31) or similar forage-type transition variety
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7 (Transitions well into Zone 8); excellent heat tolerance for its type; good cold tolerance; stays green through much of winter in the South.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, deep-rooted bunchgrass. It maintains a medium-to-dark green color. When unmowed, it can reach 3 to 4 feet in height with open, branched panicle seed heads. In turf, it forms a dense, upright bunch.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is coarse (4-10mm); prominent ribs/veins on the upper surface; glossy/shiny underside. Tips are sharply pointed; vernation is rolled in the bud. Ligule is short and membranous; auricles are small or absent (but often have short hairs on the collar edges).
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system extending up to 2-3 feet; low thatch tendency; moderate establishment speed from seed; excellent wear recovery for a bunchgrass due to crown toughness.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized in North America, particularly the U.S. Transition Zone.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); lacks significant rhizomes or stolons, resulting in occasional bare spots if damaged.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full Sun to Partial Shade (high shade tolerance for a cool-season grass); moderate to high water needs; high drought tolerance compared to other cool-season grasses due to deep roots; prefers pH 5.5 to 7.0.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 2.0 to 4.0 inches (3.0+ in summer); moderate frequency; 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually; low to medium maintenance requirement.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional traffic tolerance; resistant to many turf diseases but susceptible to Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia) in humid heat; excellent erosion control for banks and pastures.
Ecological Information
Introduced species; provides moderate wildlife cover; high soil stabilization value; can be invasive in native prairie restoration; often contains endophytes (fungal symbionts) that improve stress resistance but can be toxic to some livestock.