Meadow Fescue
Scientific Name: Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.
Synonyms: Festuca elatior L., nom. utique rej., Festuca pratensis Huds., Lolium pratense (Huds.) S.J. Darbyshire
Classification: Plantae/ Tracheobionta / Spermatophyta / Magnoliophyta / Liliopsida / Commelinidae / Cyperales / Poaceae / Gramineae / Schedonorus P. Beauv./ Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Usda Symbol | SCPR4 |
| Group | Monocot |
| Life Cycle | Perennial |
| Growth Habits | Graminoid |
| Native Locations | SCPR4 |
Plant Guide
Use a soil moisture meter to monitor the soil moisture where Meadow Fescue is planted.
Plant Traits
Growth Requirements
| CaCO3 Tolerance | Medium |
|---|---|
| Frost Free Days, Minimum | 120 |
| Frost Free Days, Minimum | 100 |
| Fire Tolerance | Medium |
| Fire Tolerance | High |
| Fertility Requirement | Medium |
| Fertility Requirement | High |
| Drought Tolerance | Medium |
| Drought Tolerance | Low |
| Cold Stratification Required | No |
| Cold Stratification Required | No |
| Temperature, Minimum (°F) | -28 |
| CaCO3 Tolerance | Low |
| Anaerobic Tolerance | Low |
| Anaerobic Tolerance | Low |
| Adapted to Medium Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Medium Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Fine Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Fine Textured Soils | No |
| Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils | Yes |
| Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils | No |
| Hedge Tolerance | None |
| Temperature, Minimum (°F) | -23 |
| Shade Tolerance | Intolerant |
| Shade Tolerance | Intermediate |
| Salinity Tolerance | Medium |
| Salinity Tolerance | Low |
| Root Depth, Minimum (inches) | 12 |
| Root Depth, Minimum (inches) | 12 |
| Precipitation, Minimum | 34 |
| Precipitation, Minimum | 33 |
| Precipitation, Maximum | 60 |
| Precipitation, Maximum | 50 |
| pH, Minimum | 5.8 |
| pH, Minimum | 5.5 |
| pH, Maximum | 8.5 |
| pH, Maximum | 7.2 |
| Moisture Use | Medium |
| Moisture Use | High |
| Hedge Tolerance | None |
Morphology/Physiology
| Active Growth Period | Summer and Fall |
|---|---|
| Toxicity | Slight |
| Toxicity | None |
| Shape and Orientation | Erect |
| Shape and Orientation | Decumbent |
| Resprout Ability | No |
| Fall Conspicuous | No |
| Foliage Porosity Winter | Porous |
| Foliage Porosity Summer | Moderate |
| Foliage Porosity Summer | Moderate |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Flower Conspicuous | No |
| Flower Conspicuous | No |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Flower Color | Yellow |
| Fire Resistant | No |
| Fire Resistant | No |
| Nitrogen Fixation | None |
| Fall Conspicuous | No |
| Coppice Potential | No |
| Coppice Potential | No |
| C:N Ratio | Medium |
| C:N Ratio | Medium |
| Bloat | None |
| Bloat | None |
| After Harvest Regrowth Rate | Slow |
| After Harvest Regrowth Rate | Moderate |
| Active Growth Period | Spring and Fall |
| Resprout Ability | No |
| Foliage Texture | Coarse |
| Nitrogen Fixation | None |
| Low Growing Grass | No |
| Low Growing Grass | No |
| Lifespan | Short |
| Lifespan | Moderate |
| Leaf Retention | No |
| Leaf Retention | No |
| Known Allelopath | No |
| Known Allelopath | No |
| Height, Mature (feet) | 3.0 |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Height, Mature (feet) | 2.0 |
| Foliage Porosity Winter | Porous |
| Foliage Texture | Coarse |
| Fruit/Seed Color | Brown |
| Fruit/Seed Color | Brown |
| Fruit/Seed Conspicuous | No |
| Fruit/Seed Conspicuous | No |
| Growth Form | Bunch |
| Growth Form | Bunch |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
Reproduction
| Propagated by Cuttings | No |
|---|---|
| Propagated by Seed | Yes |
| Propagated by Seed | Yes |
| Propagated by Sod | No |
| Propagated by Sod | No |
| Propagated by Sprigs | No |
| Propagated by Sprigs | No |
| Propagated by Tubers | No |
| Propagated by Tubers | No |
| Fruit/Seed Persistence | No |
| Seed per Pound | 230000 |
| Seed per Pound | 250000 |
| Seed Spread Rate | Slow |
| Seed Spread Rate | Slow |
| Seedling Vigor | High |
| Seedling Vigor | Medium |
| Small Grain | No |
| Small Grain | No |
| Vegetative Spread Rate | None |
| Vegetative Spread Rate | None |
| Propagated by Corm | No |
| Propagated by Cuttings | No |
| Bloom Period | Early Summer |
| Bloom Period | Late Spring |
| Commercial Availability | No Known Source |
| Commercial Availability | Routinely Available |
| Fruit/Seed Abundance | High |
| Fruit/Seed Abundance | Low |
| Fruit/Seed Period Begin | Summer |
| Fruit/Seed Period Begin | Summer |
| Fruit/Seed Period End | Fall |
| Fruit/Seed Persistence | No |
| Propagated by Bare Root | No |
| Propagated by Bare Root | No |
| Propagated by Bulb | No |
| Propagated by Bulb | No |
| Propagated by Container | No |
| Propagated by Container | No |
| Propagated by Corm | No |
| Fruit/Seed Period End | Summer |
Suitability/Use
| Palatable Browse Animal | Low |
|---|---|
| Palatable Graze Animal | Medium |
| Palatable Graze Animal | Medium |
| Palatable Human | No |
| Palatable Human | No |
| Post Product | No |
| Post Product | No |
| Protein Potential | Medium |
| Protein Potential | Medium |
| Pulpwood Product | No |
| Pulpwood Product | No |
| Veneer Product | No |
| Veneer Product | No |
| Palatable Browse Animal | Low |
| Nursery Stock Product | No |
| Nursery Stock Product | No |
| Naval Store Product | No |
| Naval Store Product | No |
| Lumber Product | No |
| Lumber Product | No |
| Fodder Product | Yes |
| Fodder Product | Yes |
| Christmas Tree Product | No |
| Christmas Tree Product | No |
| Berry/Nut/Seed Product | No |
| Berry/Nut/Seed Product | No |
