Rough Fescue

General Description

Rough fescue is a densely tufted, native perennial bunchgrass, an important component of British Columbia’s native grasslands (as it originates in B.C). The name rough refers to the rough edges of the leaves and stems. It has fibrous roots and is rarely rhizomatous. Plants spread from tufts growing at the edges of the crowns. Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii) is found in the other provinces, however, is not included in Forage U-Pick as there has been very little success in establishing plants within seeded stands.

Type

Native grass.

Origin

Native to British Columbia.

Longevity

Long-lived.

Use

Restoration, grazing. Important forage for both wildlife and livestock. Used in grassland restoration and site rehabilitation.

Optimal Time of Use

Spring and fall. 

Recovery After Use

Rough fescue can be managed with proper utilization and periodic year-long rest. Continued defoliation during the latter part of the spring growth period can be detrimental to rough fescue.

Palatability/Nutritional Value

Good palatability and is readily grazed and has different forage and palatability levels in different regions. It cures on the stem, but early frosts may interfere with the curing process.

Drought Tolerance

Low drought tolerance.

Flooding Tolerance

Low tolerance to flooding.

Winter Hardiness

Moderate winter hardiness. Rough fescue requires a frost-free period of at least 90 days.

Soil Texture Preference

Prefers medium- to coarse-textured soils.

Erosion Control

Can provide high protection from erosion once established. Slow establishment limits use in critical erosion control situations. 

Salinity Tolerance

No to low tolerance.

Acidity Tolerance

Low tolerance, can tolerate soil pH levels down to 6.

Alkalinity Tolerance

Low tolerance – up to pH 8.0.

Seeds per kg

600,000 seeds/kg (272,156 seeds/lb)

Suggested Mixtures

Rough fescue is suitable in a mixture with early- to mid-succession native species.

Ease of Establishment

Emergence is poor despite high germination rates. Rough fescue has moderate seedling vigour. Stand development is slow. Fourteen years after pipeline restoration in Alberta, seeded native fescue species cover is 50% of control sites.

Competitiveness

It is competitive when well established in naturally occurring native plant communities, however seeded stands struggle with establishment which results in low competitiveness.

Management Considerations

Grazing management is required for rough fescue to establish and persist.