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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.

 

Planting and management tips
Turf adaptations and tolerances table
Grass species and key


Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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