Tall Fescue — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Schedonorus arundinaceus |
|---|---|
| Seed germination (days) | 7–14 |
| Soil temperature for germination (°C) | 10–21.1 |
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 60–90 |
| Measured from | Seed |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 5.1–10.2 |
| Mature height (cm) | 45.7–91.4 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 15.2–30.5 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 4–8 |
| Light | Partial sun |
| Water | Moderate |
| Sowing method | Direct sow |
Growing directions
Drill seed 1/4–1/2 inch deep into a firm, fertile seedbed in full sun to light shade; tolerates more shade than most pasture and cover crop grasses, making it useful under widely spaced orchard trees. Tall fescue is a deep-rooted, cool-season perennial grass widely used across the transition zone and upper South as a persistent pasture and hay grass, valued for its tolerance of heavy grazing, foot traffic, drought, and a wide range of soil conditions once established. As a cover crop, it forms a dense, long-lived sod that provides excellent erosion control on slopes, waterways, and orchard alleys, and its deep root system builds soil structure and organic matter over time. Older common tall fescue varieties carry a fungal endophyte that can cause toxicity issues in grazing livestock — endophyte-free or novel-endophyte cultivars are recommended where livestock grazing is intended. A tough, versatile, long-lived grass for permanent pasture, erosion control, or shaded orchard groundcover, zone 4–8.
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
OpenPlantDB · tall-fescue-cover
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0