Sheep Fescue

Scientific Name: Festuca ovina L.

Sheep Fescue

General Information
Usda Symbol	FEOV
Group	Monocot
Life Cycle	Perennial
Growth Habits	Graminoid
Native Locations	FEOV

Plant Guide

Alternate Names

None , Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Sheep Fescue.

Description

General: Grass Family (Poaceae). Sheep fescue Festuca ovina L. is an extremely variable cool season grass. In the western United States, sheep fescue is often confused with Arizona fescue in the southwest and Idaho fescue in the northwest. Historically almost all fine leaved, non- rhizomatous fescues were identified as F. ovina. Many of these specimens have been re-identified as other species (Barkworth 2007). The PLANTS web site indicates F. ovina has been mis-applied to specimens of F. brachypyhlla Schult ex Schult. & Schult f. ssp. brachyphylla and F. brevipila Tracy (F. trachyphylla (Barkworth 2007)). Festuca trachyphylla, like F. ovina is native to Europe while F. brachyphylla f. ssp. brachyphylla is circumpolar with North American representatives (Barkworth 2007). Sheep fescue is a densely tufted, cool season, dwarf bunchgrass. Its numerous basal leaves are narrow, involute, stiff, semi-erect and short, 4 to 8 in and less than half the culm length. Plants are short, 12 inches tall, with numerous fine, stiff to semi-erect stems. The panicle is narrow, dense, nearly spike-like in appearance and protrudes well above the basal leaves on stiff, naked culms. Panicles are about 4 in long with 4 to 5 flowers per spikelet. The seed is tipped with 1/8 to 1/4 in awns. The slightly unequal glumes persist after seed shatter (Cronquist et al., 1977). Distribution: Sheep fescue is a cool season perennial grass native to Europe (Barkworth 2007). Within North America, sheep fescue has been planted in open forests and mountain and foothill slopes from Alaska to North Dakota and south to Arizona and New Mexico. It has also been introduced to many locations in eastern North America. For current distribution, consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. Habitat: Sheep fescue occupies diverse habitats. Collections show altitudinal variation in habitat extending from 1,000 to 13,000 ft. Although it may be found at any elevation between these extremes, it is most prevalent from about 3,000 to 8,000 ft. It grows on all exposures in a wide variety of soil conditions. It is best adapted to silt loam or sandy loam soils, however is occasionally found on loamy sand soils, and on shallow, dry, gravelly soils. Common habitats are exposed bench lands, hillsides and ridges, parks, meadows, forestlands, and open ponderosa and lodgepole pine stands. It is often found in association with big bluegrass, mountain brome, bluebunch wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, geranium, western yarrow, mountain big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush and ponderosa pine.

Adaptation

Sheep fescue is best adapted to areas with 12 or more inches of precipitation. It has excellent cold tolerance, good drought tolerance, and moderate shade tolerance. It is more drought tolerant than Idaho fescue and hard fescue. It will tolerate weakly saline to alkaline and acidic soil conditions, and will not tolerate high water tables or flooding. It can withstand fire in autumn, but requires 2 to 3 years to fully recover after burning.

Uses

Grazing/range/pasture: In rangeland and pastureland plantings, sheep fescue is a competitive understory grass that controls erosion. Although it is sometimes grazed by sheep, it is seldom utilized by cattle or horses and is not considered to be an important forage species. Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Guide Hay: Due to its short dense tufts, it is not a good species for hay production. Wildlife: Sheep fescue provides very little cover for hiding or nesting habitat. Figure 2. Sheep Fescue Plant Guide. Idaho, 1982. Erosion control/reclamation: The primary use of sheep fescue is ground cover. It is ideal for stabilization of disturbed soils because of its dense root system. Its low growth form and low maintenance requirements make it ideal for ground cover purposes. It is commonly used to protect roadsides, airport landing strips, industrial and residential areas, ditch and canal banks, skid trails, clear cuts, ski hills, camp sites and other recreation areas from erosion. It provides excellent cover and erosion control in areas between trees rows of shelterbelts, windbreaks and tree farms. Sheep fescue withstands moderate equipment traffic and requires minimal maintenance. This characteristic makes it useful in vineyards, orchards, and farm equipment yards. Its good drought tolerance combined with strong bunch type root systems and adaptations to a variety of soils make this species ideal for reclamation in areas receiving 12 to 24 inches annual precipitation. This grass can be used in areas where irrigation water is limited to provide ground cover. Weed control: Sheep fescue is an excellent weed control species because it has an extensive and dense bunch type root system. Once a good stand is established, it excludes the invasion of most weeds.

Status

Consult the PLANTS Web site (http://plants.usda.gov/) and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g., threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Planting Guidelines

Planting: Sheep fescue seed should be planted with a drill at a depth of 1/4 inch or less. The single species seeding rate is 4 pounds Pure Live Seed (PLS) per acre or about 60 PLS per square foot (Ogle et al., 2009). If used as a component of a mix, adjust to percent of mix desired. When broadcast planting seed and for harsh critical planting areas, the seeding rate should be increased to 8 pounds PLS per acre or 120 PLS per square foot. Mulching and irrigation during the establishment year are beneficial for stand establishment. The best seeding results are obtained from seeding in very early spring on heavy to medium textured soils or in late fall on medium to light textured soils. Late summer (August - mid September) seedings are not recommended unless irrigation is available. Seedling vigor is good; stands are generally slow to develop and seedlings may be very hard to find during the establishment year. It should not be planted with aggressive introduced grasses, but is very compatible with slower developing native grasses such as bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), thickspike wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus), streambank wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus ssp. psammophilus), big bluegrass (Poa secunda) and needlegrass species (Achnatherum spp., Hesperostipa spp., Nassella spp., Stipa spp., and Ptilagrostis spp.). Stands may require weed control measures during establishment, but application of broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D should not be made until plants have reached the four to six leaf stage. Mow above seedlings when weeds are beginning to bloom to reduce weed seed production. Grasshoppers and other insects may damage new stands and use of insecticides may be required. Be sure to read and follow pesticide label directions.

Management

Sheep fescue “greens up” in March to early April and matures in late June to mid-July. It is a cool season plant; therefore it produces most of its growth in the spring and again in the fall, if moisture is available. Growth during the summer is minimal and dependent on precipitation or irrigation.