Grass That Thrives in Shade

Creeping Red Fescue

• This grass is ideal for dry, shady areas. The grass produces fine blades with medium to dark green coloration. Along with use as lawn grass, creeping red fescue is also used in parks, roadsides, lawns, cemeteries and airfields. Infertile, well-drained, dry soil is the preference of creeping red fescue, so avoid heavily fertilized or overly moist soils. Hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 1 through 7, creeping red fescue grows actively between March and June and from October to December.

Chewings Fescue

• A cool season grass with a fine texture, chewings fescue creates a dense lawn. This grass shows more upright growth than other varieties of fescue grass but is tolerant of being mowed to a height as short as 1.5 inches. This grass prefers cool, shady climates and is hardy to USDA zones 1 through 7. Plant chewings fescue in light, sandy, infertile soil. Acidic soil is also preferable for chewings fescue grass.

Hard Fescue Grass

• This grass grows in clumps, taking longer to establish on a lawn than varieties such as creeping red fescue. It prefers cooler temperatures and shady growing environments; it is hardy in USDA zones 1 through 3, 6, 7, 3N, 5N and in the shadiest areas of zone 8. Dark green in color, hard fescue grass is low-maintenance, able to be left un-mown and grown in places not easily maintained.

Sheep Fescue

• Another clumping grass, sheep fescue prefers dry soil and cool, shady growing environments. Producing bunches of blue-green blades, this dense grass also grows up to 16 inches upright. Mowing is required, unless you use the grass for sheep pastures, as their grazing keeps it trimmed. Other uses for sheep fescue include erosion control and soil improvement. Sheep fescue grows well in the cooler areas of North Dakota, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Arkansas, Michigan, South Carolina and Illinois.

Kentucky Bluegrass

• This grass prefers the cool temperatures of fall, winter and early spring. Kentucky bluegrass prefers a full-sun growing environment but is tolerant of shady areas. Unlike other shade-tolerant grasses, Kentucky bluegrass requires fertile soil and plenty of moisture. This dense grass produces deep green blades and reproduces with special underground stems called rhizomes. Avoid heat and drought with Kentucky bluegrass and mow regularly. This grass is hardy in all USDA hardiness zones.