Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Pooideae, Tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Forage, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF) - generic mix
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 4-9; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; good cold tolerance; goes dormant in extreme heat/drought.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, deep-rooting grass forming dense clumps. Visible in the image are several distinct clumps showing a dark green color with significant accumulation of brown, dormant, or dead leaf tissue (tan/straw color) among the living blades.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (4-10mm); flat shape with pointed tips; dark green color; rolled vernation; distinct ribs on top; no auricles; short membranous ligule; rough margins.
Root System
Deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep); low thatch-forming tendency; slow to moderate establishment from seed; excellent wear recovery due to crown density.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized in North America across the Transition Zone
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); primary spread through Tillering with very limited short rhizomes
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; requires 4-6 hours minimum sun; moderate to high water needs for green appearance but high drought dormancy survival; pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
2.0-4.0 inches (higher in summer); frequency depends on growth; 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually; low to medium maintenance.
Special Characteristics
High traffic/wear tolerance; good shade tolerance compared to other lawn grasses; susceptible to Brown Patch (Rhizoctonia) in humid heat; excellent erosion control.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized; provides soil stabilization; limited wildlife value as turf; often used in mixtures with Kentucky Bluegrass; can be invasive in high-quality native prairies.