Red fescue (Festuca rubra) is a cool-season grass that is highly tolerant of shade and cool temperature. The perennial grass grows in the marshes, meadows and bogs throughout the cooler regions of the northern hemisphere.
Red fescue has a dark green color and has a very fine texture. The smooth, narrow blades are folded in the bud and the culms are closely or loosely tufted. The base of the stems is reddish to purplish in color. Red fescue has two distinct growth habits; the creeping red fescue has a spreading growth and grows with short rhizomes and the chewings fescue has an upright, bunchgrass like form.
The grass is frequently used in the shaded, cooler mountain areas like camping sites, and around cabins and resorts. Red fescue performs well with minimal mowing and watering and has a low fertilizer need. The grass is intolerant of hot weather unless it is grown in shaded, dry sites. Red fescue has a slow rate of germination and establishment and is moderately tolerant of drought and traffic.
Water red fescue lawns once or twice a week during warmer weather. The grass is likely to go dormant in summer if provided inadequate water. Apply 1 to 2 lbs. of nitrogen per year for every 1,000 sq. feet between March and June, and October and December. Seeding rate is recommended at 3.5 to 4.5 lbs. per 1,000 sq. feet. Keep mowing height at 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches. The grass maintains its appearance without mowing when grown as a groundcover. Red fescue is prone to a number of common turfgrass diseases.