Tall Fescue
Festuca arundinacea (syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus) · Cool-season, Perennial, C3 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, tribe Poeae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Sports Turf, Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF) - generic multi-cultivar blend likely including varieties like 'Titan' or 'Rebel'
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-7; excellent heat tolerance for a cool-season grass; good cold hardiness; remains green in mild winters.
About This Grass
A coarse to medium-textured grass forming dense, upright tufts. It maintains a deep green color year-round in temperate climates and is known for its durability and bunching growth pattern that does not form a true creeping sod.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is medium-coarse (4-10mm); flat shape with prominent longitudinal veins on the upper surface; pointed tips; vernation is rolled in the bud; ligule is short and membranous; auricles are small to absent, often with fine hairs.
Root System
Exceptionally deep fibrous root system (often 2-3 feet deep); low thatch tendency; moderate establishment speed from seed; high drought tolerance due to root depth.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Europe and North Africa; widely naturalized in North America and Australia, particularly in the Transition Zone
Growth Habit
Bunch-type (clump-forming); occasionally produces very short, weak rhizomes but lacks aggressive spreading capacity
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; requires at least 4-6 hours of sun; moderate water needs but can survive extended dry periods by going dormant; prefers well-drained soil with pH 5.5-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 3.0 to 4.0 inches; mow weekly; 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually; requires regular overseeding to fill in bare spots since it does not spread laterally; Medium maintenance.
Special Characteristics
High traffic and wear tolerance; excellent drought resistance; susceptible to brown patch disease in high humidity; good salt tolerance; best shade tolerance among common cool-season lawn grasses.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in North America; provides soil stabilization for slopes; creates cover for small mammals; often contains beneficial endophytes (fungi) which improve stress tolerance but can be toxic to livestock if not endophyte-free varieties are used.