Poaceae
Chewing fescue
Festuca nigrescens
Also known as Hard fescue, Creeping red fescue, Fine-leaved fescue, Festuca rubra subsp. microphylla
Native Plants · Fescue · Lawn Grass · Ground Cover · Cool Season · Shade Tolerant · Turf · Erosion Control · Ornamental Grass · Low Maintenance · Poaceae
Chewing fescue is a fine-bladed, cool-season ornamental and turf grass that forms a dense, low-growing mat ideal for lawns, ground cover, or erosion control. It performs best in cooler climates with partial shade and moderate moisture, requiring little fertilization or mowing once established. This hardy grass is an excellent low-maintenance choice for shaded areas where other lawn grasses struggle.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 4 hours
- Watering
- Water lightly to keep soil moderately moist; established plants need minimal supplemental irrigation · Every 10-14 days
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6–7.5
- Temperature
- -20°F to 90°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Division
Hardiness
USDA 4a-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 3 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Spacing
- 6 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Northwest European R, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain
- Attracts
- Birds
Sources: trefle, usda
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