Schedonorus arundinacea - (Festuca arundinacea) – Tall Fescue (w)

Tall fescue is, unsurprisingly, a tall, tussocky, perennial grass. Tall fescue, meadow fescue and giant fescues can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the presents of sickle shaped outgrowths (auricles) of the leaf where it joins the stem. Giant fescue is different from the other two by the colour of its nodes (see that specie’s account for more detail) but tall fescue and meadow fescue can look rather similar. The diagnostic feature of tall fescue is a line of small hairs along the edge of its auricles but these are fragile and often lost, however, there are also structural differences in the flower head and the plant tends to be taller and more tussocky than meadow fescue. NB Until recently this species was know by the old botanical name of Festuca arundinacea.

Habitat Information
Tall fescue is a native, winter green perennial. Although usually absent from acidic soils it can be found on a very wide range of habitats and conditions including woodland edges and rides, hedgerows, meadows, pastures, road and railway banks, waste ground, river banks and the edges of salt marsh, however it is arguably most at home in relatively unmanaged and unimproved grassland. Its wide ecological range and its use in former times in agricultural grassing mixtures has lead it to be both widespread and common in all but the north of Scotland. Seed (which is shed from late June onwards) is important for regeneration but once established the plant is long lived, forming tussocks that slowly grow by lateral spread.

Growing Information
Seed is best sown in late summer or autumn. Tall fescue is a component of EG10 and could be added to EG9. Because of its robust and tussocky nature we suggest it is not add it to meadow mixtures.