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How to Manage Pests

The UC Guide to Healthy Lawns

Hard fescue — Festuca longifolia

Photo of hard fescue Illustration of collar of hard fescue
Collar of hard fescue Illustration of overall plant of hard fescue
Overall plant structure of hard fescue

Qualities

Hard fescue is a cool-season grass often used in cool-season grass seed mixtures when shade is an expected problem. It does well on low fertility soils and in shaded areas. This species is good as a non-mowed turf for slopes, median strips, and nonused areas of parks. It does not recover well from severe injury. It is not tolerant of high summer temperatures.

Identifying tips

A very fine-bladed grayish to dark-green grass. The leaves are folded in the bud, there are no auricles, and a membranous ligule is present. Hard fescue is a bunch grass with a semi-erect growth habit and heavy roots.


Maintenance

Low maintenance. Hard fescue can be left unmowed, has a low fertility requirement, and has a high tolerance for drought, shade, and cold temperatures.

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual solutions to specific pest problems. See How to manage pests, or in the U.S., contact your local Cooperative Extension office for assistance. /TOOLS/TURF/TURFSPECIES/hrdfes.html revised: November 30, 2009. Contact webmaster.