Festuca (Fescue)
Also known as: Festuca · Fescue
7 types of festuca (fescue)
Blue Fescue (F. ovina var. glauca)
Not applicablealso: Festuca glauca
Compact ornamental clump grass with blue-gray foliage.
Creeping Red Fescue (F. rubra)
Not applicablealso: Red Fescue
Fine-textured spreading grass often used in shade lawns and erosion mixes.
Fawn Tall Fescue (F. arundinacea 'Fawn')
Not applicableEarly tall fescue cultivar widely used for lawns and pasture.
Hard Fescue (F. ovina var. duriuscula)
Not applicableFine-leaved, low-maintenance grass for dry, infertile soils.
Meadow Fescue (F. pratensis)
Not applicablePalatable pasture grass that also works for lawns and hay.
Silver Hawk Tall Fescue (F. arundinacea 'Silver Hawk')
Not applicableImproved turf-type tall fescue with fine blades and good color.
Tall Fescue (F. arundinacea)
Not applicablealso: Lolium arundinaceum, Festuca arundinacea
Deep-rooted turf and pasture grass; drought-tolerant once established.
When & where
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Prepare a firm seedbed, broadcast seed evenly, and rake lightly to cover. Keep consistently moist until established. Mow when 3–4 in tall.
Grower's tip
Cool-season grasses used for lawns, pasture, erosion control, and ornamental texture.
Soil preferences
Almost any free-draining soil; most ornamental and prairie grasses prefer it lean.
5.5–7.5
None needed. Rich soil makes clumps flop.
Watering
Water through establishment, then only in extended drought.
Soak the root zone; overhead is fine on grasses.
Overwatered: floppy, splayed clumps. Underwatered: browning tips, early dormancy.
Prefers top-watering — Only top-watering makes sense for a broadcast lawn — deep morning sprinkler passes to reach the root zone.
Temperature tolerance
Broad — warm-season grasses want 75–95°F, cool-season 60–75°F
Down to the species' rated zone minimum
Most perennial grasses go dormant with frost and return from the crown.
Container growing
Possible with the right cultivar
5–15 gal (19–57 L) for ornamental clumps
Clumping types behave in pots; running types will escape any bed you give them.
Detailed harvesting
Cut ornamental clumps back to 4–6 in (10–15 cm) in late winter, before new shoots emerge. Leave the winter structure standing until then.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Dry seed heads upside down in a paper bag for arrangements or re-sowing.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Movement and winter structure, erosion control, meadow and prairie planting, wildlife cover.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Wind-pollinated — expect crossing between nearby species.
Not practical outdoors.
Strip ripe seed heads into a bag once they shatter easily, then dry and clean.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for festuca (fescue) in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Festuca (Fescue) notes
Festuca (Fescue) seeds on hand
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