Tall fescue

What is tall fescue?

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum, long sold as Festuca arundinacea) is a cool-season perennial grass from Eurasia and North Africa. Its deep roots let it stay green through heat and drought that would send Kentucky bluegrass into dormancy.

There are two very different kinds. Old pasture types such as Kentucky 31 are coarse and light green and form wide clumps. Newer turf-type tall fescue grass has finer blades, more shoots per square foot and a darker color. Dwarf types grow slower, which can also slow their recovery from damage (Penn State).

Its main weakness is that it grows in bunches. It makes few or no rhizomes, so thin spots must be reseeded. Brown patch is its most serious disease, and heavy nitrogen makes it worse (Penn State).

How to identify tall fescue

Pull up a few shoots and look closely where the leaf blade meets the stem. Here is what to check on tall fescue:

• Vernation: Rolled in the bud. NC State's plant toolbox notes this is unusual for grasses.
• Ligule: Thin membrane, collar-like, 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) or shorter, very jagged.
• Auricles: Tiny and stubby, with hairs on the edges. They do not wrap around the stem.
• Collar: Split, and may be hairy on the edges.
• Leaf tip: Sharp-pointed.
• Leaf blade: Deeply ridged on top, glossy below with a clear midrib on the underside, and rough edges. NC State says the underside is less shiny than ryegrass.
• Sheath: Open, round and smooth.
• Seedhead: Branched panicle at the top of the stem.
• Growth habit: Bunch-type; may form short rhizomes now and then. No stolons.

Where tall fescue is grown in the US

Tall fescue is the most widely grown cool-season grass in North Carolina, says NC State, which calls it the best choice there for a lawn that stays green all year. NC State gives planting dates for it in every region of the state, while it says Kentucky bluegrass is not suited to the coastal plain. Even so, tall fescue struggles in full sun on sandy coastal plain soil.

Up north it is used for home lawns, parks, playgrounds and sports fields. Penn State also lists low-care spots such as utility areas, highway medians, airstrips and fairgrounds. Colorado State recommends blends of two to five turf-type varieties for home lawns and steers people away from Kentucky 31.

Penn State seed mixes use turf-type tall fescue alone for sun, moderate shade, heavy use and low-care sites. See our Pennsylvania grass seed guide for mixes by site.

Tall fescue pros and cons

Pros

• Best heat and drought tolerance of the cool-season lawn grasses
• More shade tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass
• Makes very little thatch
• Few disease and insect problems, per Colorado State
• Slow to creep into garden beds
• Some varieties carry endophytes that resist leaf- and stem-feeding insects

Cons

• Grows in clumps; bare spots need reseeding
• Brown patch can be serious, worse with heavy nitrogen
• Dull mower blades shred the leaf tips
• Coarse old types like K-31 look poor in a lawn
• Penn State says it often looks clumpy when mixed with finer grasses
• Slow to build its deep root system after seeding

Grasses that look like tall fescue

How and when to plant tall fescue

Ways to plant: Seed is most common. Sod is also used, though Colorado State notes it is harder to find than bluegrass sod.

Seeding rate: 6 to 8 lb per 1,000 sq ft for turf types (Penn State, Colorado State). NC State uses 6 lb and warns that 10 lb or more often leads to poor survival the next summer. Old pasture types such as K-31: 8 to 10 lb (Penn State, Purdue).

Germination: No day count in our sources. Clemson rates its establishment rate as fast.

When to plant: Late summer to early fall. Purdue gives Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 as the best window for cool-season seeding. NC State dates: mountains Aug. 15 to Sept. 1, Piedmont Sept. 1 to Oct. 1, coastal plain Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

Seeding dates change from state to state. See when to plant grass seed by state, or our Pennsylvania grass seed guide if you are in PA.

How to care for tall fescue

Mowing: Mow at 2 to 3 in. (Penn State) or 3 to 3.5 in. in the South (NC State), never under 2.5 in. there. Keep blades sharp to avoid shredded tips (Colorado State). Some varieties need mowing more often than bluegrass.

Watering: Deep roots help it ride out dry weather. Colorado State notes that if roots are held back by poor or shallow soil, it may need as much water as Kentucky bluegrass or more. Clemson says it often needs irrigation to stay attractive through summer.

Fertilizing: Use about 2.5 to 3 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year (Penn State). Heavy nitrogen raises brown patch risk.

Nitrogen per year: 2.5 to 3 lb N per 1,000 sq ft per growing season (Penn State, UMass). NC State lists 2 to 4 lb depending on region.

Overseeding: Because it barely spreads, plan to reseed thin areas. NC State says lawns hurt by summer stress may need reseeding each year. Colorado State recommends blends of two to five turf-type varieties.

Thatch: Very little (Penn State, UMass). Colorado State calls it a slow thatch former.

Common tall fescue problems

If a pesticide is needed, use only products labeled for that use; the label is the law. If you hire someone to treat a lawn, make sure they hold your state’s pesticide applicator license; see our pesticide applicator license guide. To put a name to a lawn weed, use our weed identification guide.

Questions we get about tall fescue

Similar lawn grasses

Creeping red fescueFestuca rubraChewings fescueFestuca rubra subsp. commutataHard fescueFestuca brevipila