Tall Fescue

Scientific name: (Festuca arundinaceae) Lolium arundinaceum

Common name: Tall Fescue

Tall fescue is a perennial cool-weather turf grass that stands out because of its growth habit. The leaves are wide blades with a dark green color that is maintained even in winter. The blades are very coarse to the touch, with topsides that are shiny. It gets its name for how it grows upright. Tall Fescue spreads by a short rhizome and seed. In turf where it is the dominant species, it may grow bunch-like. It takes traffic well, but will need reseeding if dead patches occur. Tall fescue is drought tolerant with a two to three ft. deep root system. It also has low fertilization needs between 2.5 and 3 pounds of nitrogen per growth season. It can grow in full sun as well as partial shade. Weekly watering of 1-1¾” is beneficial but not required. It is probably one of the lowest maintenance turf grasses.