Festuca arundinacea. Low maintenance lawn

Today we have to talk about the Festuca arundinacea. We were recently talking about Fescue glauca, blue in color, with a very ornamental character and with slight application for forage crops. Today’s species began as a plant with forage interest. However, the “new” commercial varieties applied to ornamentals were gaining momentum and it is a species that has been offered for lawn mixes for some time. What or who made a forage species an alternative for sports, recreational and domestic lawns? And because?

Festuca arundinacea regarding the genus Festuca

We already said in its day that gender Festuca contains more than 600 species. Among them, this is perhaps one of the most famous for its attractive forage in the past and in recent times as an alternative for low maintenance lawns. Now we will see these two very different uses and the qualities of this species. We were recently talking about another species of the genus, Fescue glauca, of bluer colors, longer and thinner leaves forming very attractive bulges as individual groups or pompoms within a rockery garden.

Read more >> Festuca glauca for the rock garden

The gender Festuca They are species of grasses that are spread throughout the world. Specific, Festuca arundinacea is European origin although it already extends through the US and areas of South Africa and Asia, although in much lesser profusion. It is a kind of cold season as it grows during winter and spring. Withstands the rigors of winter well. In a natural way, we can see how towards the south of the Iberian Peninsula its presence is decreasing and it has a high density in central Europe and the United Kingdom. In any case, its great rusticity in dry environments means that it is also used in Mediterranean areas and the new commercial varieties have very good aptitudes for drier regions. On the map we always show the samplings of the wild species, which is found naturally (for the most part).

Festuca arundinacea map of europeFestuca arundinacea mapa europa

Distribution of Festuca arundinacea. Extracted from GBIF.org

Forage interest, management and yields of Festuca arundinacea

La Festuca arundinacea it’s a grass widely used as forage both for consumption in green and for hay as their productions are very high. The Argentine pampas are characterized as one of the areas in the world where this species is most used in pasture meadows for domestic herbivores. It is usually mixed with other species such as clover, dactyl or alfalfa and some legumes to obtain balanced pastures.

The yields are very high. We are talking about 10 tons / ha and year in almost any climate. In the studies and trials consulted, yields in Argentina of up to 14 tons are obtained according to varieties (and duly fertilized). In the Nordic countries of northern Europe, with varieties more adapted to their thermal and light conditions, they are around 8-9 tons / ha per year.

The cuts as fodder are usually between 2 and 4 a year depending on the climate and up to 6 cuts can even be made.

The varieties differ greatly between countries and continents. There are dozens of them. Some extracted from the articles consulted are:

  • Retu, Boris, Casper, Kalevi, Salten… (essay in Nordic countries),
  • Rocío, Glorica, Barcet, Kentucky 31, Conway, Aprilia, Baralta, Royal Q 100, Tatum, Quantum… (trials in America)
  • Manade, Clarine, S-170 of cold climate and but resistance to drought and other Mediterranean with better tolerance to drought such as Maris Kashba, Gloria or Jebel. Tima y Emerita they are Spanish varieties for example.

It is considered a high-yield forage but poor palatability. This means that the animals that graze it do not usually like its texture in the mouth, especially if it forms cane and hardens (it usually happens). The herbivores that best tolerate it are cattle.

The Problem of Endophytic Fungi Toxic Alkaloids for Livestock

Not everything could be wonders and advantages and we have a “big but” that became known over time but today it is controlled in most places and especially with new varieties and genetic improvement both in the plant species and in animal breeds. The Festuca arundinacea, generally including the famous KY-31 variety and many others… they had an endophytic asexual symbiont fungus. This fungus benefits from the plant and the plant from it in an almost inseparable relationship. In fact, resistance to drought, for example, or to heavy metals, is a consequence of this relationship. The problem is that the by-products of the metabolism of these fungi produce a series of chemicals from the group of alkaloids that are toxic to livestock, particularly ungulates.

Festucosis or alkaloid toxicity

The alkaloid involved is called Lolina and that in turn generates other derivative compounds in the stomach of ruminants. The high concentration of these compounds causes serious disorders in cattle, being classified as disease called festucosis. The disorders that it produces greatly lower the quality and production of the animals and it has been a real problem in many farmers who have used this species as forage.

The disorders it produces are various, some severe if the intake of the alkaloid is high such as sensitivity and / or swelling around the fetlock on the hoof causing lameness, dry gangrene of the tips of the ears and the tail, sometimes with loss of the tail, vasoconstriction, clot formation and increased body temperature, difficulty in dissipating body heat in summer and all this causes:

  • Low growth rate
  • Excessive salivation
  • Reduction of milk production or even production stop (more frequent in horses).
  • Rough coat
  • High body temperature

Animal behavior also changes and they look for the shade, they are usually wallow near watering holes and shady areas they graze less hours than unaffected animals.

From a livestock point of view, it is a disorder that greatly affects livestock yields and that has been tried to alleviate with diets, supplements and, in the best of cases, gradually substituting pastures for varieties of tall Fescue free of endophytic fungi.

Festuca arundinacea alcaloidesFestuca arundinacea alcaloides

Fungus Neothypodium coenophialum of the Festuca. Photo by Mizzou CAFNR

The transition from forage to grass seed. History of the KY-31 variety

Although the species is of European origin, it was brought to American pastures in the 31th century. In America the plant material or variety developed by a professor at the University of Kentucky called Kentucky-31 or abbreviated as KY-XNUMX was very famous. This professor, investigating the grasses that had tall Fescue observed how this species had a greener color during winter period and it withstood the drought well in the warm months. These qualities were very advantageous compared to native grasses. This happened in 1931, hence the name.

From there and until 1942 this species was investigated until it was released that year as an improved forage species. It was years later, in the 50s, when it became popular and thanks to its properties, the Brooks Pennington, Jr. house, which was making its way into the commercial world of herbaceous species for home lawns, decided to include it in its R&D plan. D. At the end of the 60’s they developed a patented seed treatment (Penkote Seed Technology) that notably improved the establishment, accelerating initial growth and health of the later lawn against diseases. It was this process that led to Festuca arundinacea to become a grass species coming from a species that had only been considered forage.

Interest as a low maintenance lawn

In addition to forage varieties, specific varieties have been developed for grass as it has very good conditions, especially thanks to its wide leaf and deep root system. Here we list some characteristics that make it ideal for the garden.

The advantages it has Festuca arundinacea as grass are:

  • Deep root system, which implies much lower irrigation frequencies and greater tolerance to drought than other varieties of grass.
  • Maintains a green coloring all year. It can yellow in very extreme climates, both from cold and heat.
  • Resistance to stepped on.
  • Withstands climates well cold.
  • Ideal for climates with high contrast between winter summer. (Mountain areas in Spain for example).
  • Thanks to its root system, it controls erosion very well and is very beneficial on slopes to hold them.

As it is a low-maintenance lawn, it is also used in specific sectors of the golf courses, normally off the fairways, as these require a finer blade grass with a much closer cut. This species is usually planted in sloping and rough areas.

Festuca arundinacea golfFestuca arundinacea golf

Very in the high grass sectors of the golf courses. Also for sports grass. Photo for One Tree Hill Studios

For lawns, each commercial house has its own varieties. We can mention some like:

  • Titan: Temperate climate with great horizontal expansion thanks to its lateral stems.
  • To us: For sports grass. Very resistant to trampling and with the possibility of cutting up to 1 cm.
  • Fesnova: Drought tolerant. For hot summers. Slow growth Fine compared to other varieties.
  • Patron: Resistant to brown patch, broad leaf. Tolerant to saline soils and strong heat.
  • Firaces: Tolerant to trampling and with few fertilization needs.
  • Olympus, Rendition, Asterix… The list of seed houses and varieties is endless.

General care of Festuca arundinacea like grass

We are going to detail the general care of this species although today, the varieties are so many and so different and developed for each type of climate, soil, type of cut, resistance, tolerance to drought, etc. that each one will have its own particular care. Even so, in a general way we can say that you need:

Light and temperatures

As is evident, it is a grass that grows well in full light although it is also tolerant to semi-shadow areas. In warmer climates, where temperatures and exposure can damage the leaf, it should be planted in areas of partial shade or at least have the assured irrigation. When we talk about warm they have to be in very extreme areas since it is a species that is planted in gardens in the Mediterranean region (Spanish Levante) and here it was hot for a while. In shady areas with high humidity and rainfall it also thrives.

Its real value is that it is a very cold resistant compared to other grasses. It supports the rigors of winter well without fading too much, with few exceptions where there are very persistent frosts.

Land

They adapt to many types of soil. It is a very tolerant species in this regard. Even can grow in heavy soils since it has a very deep root system and manages to break through to get water and nutrients quite easily. For this reason it is considered low maintenance as a garden lawn. Even so, clay soil is not recommended, the most common being soil loamy or somewhat gritty.

It is kind of Festuca with the most developed and deep root system. Therefore, the only limiting factor may be precisely that the soil is shallow. Unlike Fescue glauca for example, it can grow well in shallow soil areas or rockery gardens. The range of pH very wide and supports basic soils, even coastal saline, neutral and even soils with high acidity (up to 5,5).

Irrigation and humidity

Its deep root system allows waterings to be spaced since with its deep roots, the plant is capable of obtaining water for relatively long periods. For this reason, more than frequent waterings must be copious so that the soil soak to a depth of 15-20 cm. Irrigation, like any lawn, must be by sprinkling. In areas of low humidity where we do not apply frequent waterings, the tips of the leaves may turn yellow.

Festuca arundinacea riego

Festuca arundinacea riego

Planting and maintenance

It is sown during the spring or fall to achieve greater roots and rapid growth. These are the times of greatest growth. In the germination and implantation periods, higher risks are required. You have to be pending reseeding since it tends to form bumps, since it is a tufted species. The Fescue glauca It is a clear example of this.

Lawnmower Guides

Regarding the harvest does not admit cuts very very hasty and being not very dense it is better to leave cuts between 5 and 8 cm. You can rush a bit more if it is mixed with other varieties that are somewhat denser, but it is not advisable to lower than 4 cm. In addition, this mowing must be frequent.

  • The sowing rate for grass ranges from 30-50g / m2 depending on the variety. In forage, the sowing doses range between 20-25kg of seed per hectare of pasture.
  • It is a large seed and the sowing depth is around 2cm.
  • Afternoon in germinate between one and two weeks depending on the season and climate
  • The current varieties offer a germination power greater than 80-90% of the seeds.
  • They have a moderate-rapid growth (the wild is considered slow growing) and it must be taken into account that it can grow up to 1m in height. (Notice if it is a second home in which there may be periods of absence).
  • Although it resists the cold well, it is not recommended to plant it more than 1000m above sea level.

Mixes of other lawns with Festuca arundinacea

Tall Fescue is often mixed with other grasses with somewhat different characteristics. It is a grass that we could call coarse and not very dense. The mixture with Ray-grass, Dactilo (Cynodon dactylon) or the famous Poa pratensis, ensure more density and quality to the mix. In all the mixes in which it is put Festuca arundinacea you must put a 70% minimum of this species. If it is in less quantity, it competes poorly with the rest of the species. Common mixes with Tall Fescue as the dominant species are:

  • 80% F. arundinacea – 20% Poa pratensis
  • 80% F. arundinacea – 10% Cynodon dactylon – 10% Lolium perenne
  • 70% F. arundinacea – 30% Poa pratensis

Then we already have mixtures magic inside the Festuca. 25% of that variety, 25% of another variety, 30% of another variety, and then the usual Poa and Dactyl. It’s a whole world of alchemy!

Fertilization

It depends on the type of soil, the climate and whether it is mixed with other lawns (which is usually the case).

In hot climates it is usually paid early spring. In colder climates during the fall. These are the best times, although if 2, 3 or even 4 applications are made annually, we will not always apply in the best months. Fertilization frequencies depend on the type of soil. In the sandy ones, the nutrients percolate more and a few more doses will be necessary. The usual is usually between 1 and 3 applications per year.

It is not recommended to use underripe manures as they can burn the lawn. If commercial fertilizers are used, we can use NPK formulations with a contribution of magnesium and iron or magnesium and sulfur. Formulations with a good proportion of nitrogen are the most suitable for vegetative growth. Let’s take an example of 2 fertilizer applications. Approximate or similar formulations to NPK 20-5-10 are suitable and if they have best iron and magnesium supplements. We could establish a fertilization schedule on:

  • First application March-April: 30-40 mg / m2
  • Second application October-November: 30-50 mg / m2

More applications could be made by lowering the amounts of each application a little between 20 and 30 mg / m2.

Plagues and diseases

It is very resistant in general to fungal diseases although it can affect fungi of the genus Rhizoctonia what is known in English as brown patch or brown patch. They are usually circles or rings, ultimately patches that turn yellow and end up drying. The best way to eradicate patches is to completely lift them up and replant. It is somewhat drastic but it is the best way.

They may also suffer from black rust (Hiratsuka), Mildew (Scleropthora macrospora) or Red thread (Corticium fusiforme). The latter is very characteristic for its pinkish spots of about 20-30 cm.

Many of the commercial varieties are already quite resistant to several of these diseases. They can still attack but it is a grass that recovers quite well from fungal attacks.

Black rust in Festuca altaRoya negra en Festuca alta

Black rust (Hiratsuka) on tall Fescue leaf. Photo by Björn S…

Conclusions on Festuca arundinacea

In view of the information collected, we can deduce that the presence or not of the endophytic symbiont fungus determines the fate of each variety of Festuca arundinacea according to its use.

  • For forage species, we will want those varieties free of the endophytic fungus, which although they are less resistant to drought or other conditions, do not harm the livestock that consume them.
  • For species intended for sports or domestic grass, we have no problem with this fungus being present as it gives it many resistance characteristics and it is a grass that will not consume any animal (unless you have a crazy goat loose at home)
  • Continuation of the article …

Anna Evans

Author-editor

View all posts by Anna Evans →
Exit mobile version