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| ## Tall Fescue {#tall-fescue .Title-Header}                           |
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| *Lolium arundinaceum* (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire                       |
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| Plant Symbol = LOAR10                                                 |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

![Color image of Tall Fescue (Lolium
arundinaceum)](media/image2.jpeg){width="3.0in" height="2.0in"}

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

Tall fescue has been over-used in the past, prior to the understanding
of its endophyte status and implications. For decades KY-31 tall fescue
was planted widely as a forage and erosion control plant because it is
widely adapted and easy to establish and long lived under harsh
conditions and mistreatment. It is now recognized that the presence of
the endophyte (in this grass and others) contributed to both the tough
nature of the grass and the poor performance of grazing animals in the
warmer months. It is suspected that this endophyte infected cultivar has
been deleterious to wildlife as well. For these reasons, there are
efforts by some groups to ban the use of tall fescue in some states, and
it still may be overused. Please consult the links on the PLANTS Profile
for this species for additional information.

Now there are many cultivars of this species, some of which are produced
without endophyte contamination of the seed for forage production use.
Fine leafed cultivars are intended as turf grasses, and often are
intentionally endophyte infected to capitalize on the competitive
advantage that the endophyte confers to the plant. Testing services are
available to have existing stands of this grass evaluated for endophyte
presence. Infected tall fescue is used best as pasture or hay when it is
stockpiled for feeding only after fall frosts and freezes have occurred.

The old standby KY-31 (with endophyte) is a very good critical area
treatment grass due to its tolerance of poor soils and abuse or neglect.
However, the user should be sure this grass will meet all the planting
objectives and that there are not good alternative species before
specifying its use.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

##### Weediness {#weediness .Header-3}

This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and
may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. Please
consult with your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service
office, or state natural resource or agriculture department regarding
its status and use. Weed information is also available from the PLANTS
Web site at plants.usda.gov.

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

Tall fescue is a robust long-lived, comparatively deep rooted,
bunchgrass. The leaves of forage types are broad, while turf types have
been selected for narrow leaves. The flat leaves are smooth and shiny on
the underside, with pronounced ribs on the upper surface. The stems are
3-4 feet tall, supporting a nodding panicle that is 4-12 inches long.
There are 227,000 seeds per pound.

##### Adaptation and Distribution {#adaptation-and-distribution .Header-3}

Tall fescue is adapted to cool and humid climates and most soils with a
pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Tall fescue will grow fairly well on soils low in
fertility, but it is better adapted to fertile conditions. Tall fescue
will produce top growth when soils are as cold as 40 degrees F, and it
continues growth into late fall in the south.

Tall fescue is distributed throughout the majority of the United States.
For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page
for this species on the PLANTS Website.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Tall fescue is easy to establish due to its rapid germination and good
seedling vigor. It may be planted by any common method such as grass
seeders, hydroseeding, and broadcasting. Seeding rates for turf are very
high in order to obtain a dense, even turf-usually 50-100 pounds per
acre. In mixtures with other seed for critical area treatment work, the
tall fescue component is typically 10-15 pounds per acre.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

While tall fescue is tolerant of abuse and low fertility, it does
respond to fertilizer inputs. Follow the soil test recommendations for
turf and forage uses. The management considerations for forage use of
endophyte infected stands are discussed under **Uses**.

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

Several cultivars are recommended in the Northeast for turf; consult
university extension publications for the latest ratings. For cool
season grass critical area uses, KY-31 is difficult to beat, but there
are often other alternatives to this species which will have better
wildlife benefit.

##### Prepared By & Species Coordinator:  {#prepared-by-species-coordinator .Header-3}

USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program

##### 

##### Edited: 05Feb2002 JLK; 060817 jsp {#edited-05feb2002-jlk-060817-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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