Creeping Red Fescue, Chewings Fescue, Hard Fescue
| Fine Fescue Performance Characteristics |
| |
Creeping Red Fescue |
Chewings Fescue |
Hard Fescue |
| Scientific Name |
Festuca rubra |
Festuca rubra var. commutata |
Festuca ovina var. duriuscula |
| Seeds/LB. |
600,000 |
600,000 |
600,000 |
| Seeding Rate |
4 lbs./1,000 sq. ft. |
4 lbs./1,000 sq. ft. |
4 lbs./1,000 sq. ft. |
| Heat Tolerance |
poor |
poor |
poor |
| Cold Tolerance |
high |
high |
high |
| Mowing Height |
high |
high |
high |
| Nitrogen Requirement |
low |
low |
low |
| Drought Tolerance |
good |
good |
good |
| Shade Tolerance |
high |
high |
high |
| Wear Tolerance |
low |
low |
low |
| Establishment Rate |
fast |
fast |
fast |
| Growth Habit |
weak rhizomes |
bunch type |
bunch type |
| Adaptation |
cool season shade |
cool season shade |
cool season shade |
Creeping Red Fescue is distinguished from other fine fescues in that it spreads through a creeping growth habit, although somewhat less vigorously than Kentucky bluegrass. Chewings and hard fescue have a bunch type growth habit. All the fine fescues are distinguished by their narrow upright leaves.
Adaptation
Fine fescues are long-lived perennials widely distributed through the cool season area of the US and Canada. Fine fescue is limited in its geographic distribution compared to Kentucky bluegrass due to reduced heat tolerance.
Fine fescues are superior to other cool season grasses in their shade adaptation. They are capable of more rapid leaf growth under shaded conditions, but are not as good when in full sunlight. Water use rate is much lower than Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, and drought tolerance is good.
Use
Fine fescues are the best cool season turfgrass available for use under dry, shaded conditions. They are widely used as the primary components in shady mixtures, often combined with shade tolerant bluegrass. Hard fescue has an additional application in low or no-mow situations due to its dwarf growth habit.
Culture
Fine fescue requires only minimal fertilization and water. A high cutting height is recommended in the shade. Thatch can be a problem, due to the high lignin content in its leaf sheaths, which are slow to decompose.
