Hardy Shade Grass

Gardening in shade ranks high among landscape challenges. Using shade-tolerant plants and grass is the best way to deal with low-light areas. Some hardy grasses are not only shade tolerant but also have moderate to low maintenance levels.

Identification

Hard fescue (Festuca longifolia) is a cool-season grass well adapted to growing in areas of low light including heavy shade. The grass is often used in seed mixtures developed for shaded areas.

Description

The grass has fine blades and is gray to dark-green in color. Hard fescue has a clump-like growth habit and a semierect form. Hard fescue keeps its color longer than most other grasses and has a slow growth rate. The grass is commonly used for conservation, erosion control and reclamation.

Cultural Requirements

Hard fescue adapts well to infertile soils and has a low fertilizer and water requirement. Highly tolerant of drought and cold temperatures, the low-maintenance grass maintains its appearance even with infrequent mowing.

References

• University of Wisconsin Extension: Growing Grass in Shade
• American Lawns.com: Hard Fescue
• University of California Extension: Hard Fescue