Advantages
- Tolerates hot, dry conditions
- Commonly used for roadsides and low maintenance areas
- Tolerates foot traffic
- Relatively shade tolerant
Disadvantages
- It is primarily a bunch type grass, so it tends to grow in clumps
- Slow to recuperate from damage
- Coarse, wide blade in older varieties does not blend well with other grass species
- Poor cold tolerance
Summary
Tall Fescue is often used in roadside mixes where drought tolerance is important. It is not a grass species that is generally recommended for home lawns because of the coarse texture of the wide blades. New cultivars of Tall Fescue have narrower leaves and are starting to be used in home lawn mixes.