Tall Fescue

Found in:

• Lawns and landscape beds

Characteristics:

• Perennial grass that grows best during cooler temperatures (spring, fall)
• Tough, coarse-textured, dark green, clump-forming grass
• Leaf blades are flat and stiff
• Leaf veins are prominent on upper leaf surface
• Flower spikelets are loose and open
• Roots are fibrous; no underground stems (rhizomes) produced

Significance

• Endophyte-free fescue can be a beneficial pasture species
• Less tolerant of mowing heights under 1 1/2”
• Good drought tolerance due to larger, deeper root system

Plants that look similar:

• Quackgrass

More information and control options for Tall Fescue

More information on endophyte infected Tall Fescue toxicity in horses can be found in the book Plants Poisonous or Harmful to Horses in North Central US