This is indeed the most drought tolerant of the fescue species and can live in the poorest of soils. Hard fescues is one of the few salt tolerant cool season grasses. The root system, although not as deep as the tall fescue, is very efficient in taking up the most moisture from the air as possible. Although slow to recover from wear hard fescue is used in many athletic turf conditions because of the drought and low growing adaptability. Tall Fescue is a natural cool season forage .
Tall fescue is one of the most adaptive of the cool season grass forages in the world.
Covering about two thirds of the United States it is adapted to a variety of soil conditions such acid, alkaline, saline soils, flooded and poorly drained sites, even clay or Flatwoods soils that are preferably moist. Tall fescue is also adapted to a variety of weather conditions from cold to the warmer areas of the southern transition area. Tolerant of harsh conditions and fairly drought resistant in periods of extreme dryness fescue pastures are adapted to go into a dormant stage to survive. Fescue is also adaptive as a companion crop with clover or alfalfa and other forage grasses. Sheep's Fescue is the least used in the fine fescue family and grows is some of the poorer soils and roughest conditions and is primarily used in erosion control situations and naturalized settings.