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Giant Fescue

Schedonorus gigantea

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Contents

Plant Profile

Flowering Months:
JAN  FEB  MAR  APR  MAY  JUN  JUL  AUG  SEP  OCT  NOV  DEC
Order:
Poales
Family:
Poaceae (Grass)
Also in this family:
Alpine Catstail, Alpine Foxtail, Alpine Meadow-grass, Annual Beard-grass, Annual Meadow-grass, Arrow Bamboo, Barren Brome Grass, Bearded Couch Grass, Bearded Fescue, Bermuda Grass, Black Bent, Black Grass, Blue Fescue, Blue Moor-grass, Bog Hair-grass, Borrer's Saltmarsh Grass, Bread Wheat, Bristle Bent, Brown Bent, Brown Sedge, Bulbous Foxtail, Bulbous Meadow-grass, California Brome Grass, Canary Grass, Carnation Sedge, Cocksfoot, Cockspur, Common Bent, Common Cord-grass, Common Millet, Common Reed, Common Saltmarsh Grass, Compact Brome Grass, Corn, Couch Grass, Creeping Bent, Creeping Soft-grass, Crested Dog's-tail, Crested Hair-grass, Cultivated Oat, Curved Hard Grass, Cut Grass, Dense Silky Bent, Downy Oat-grass, Drooping Brome Grass, Drooping Tor Grass, Dune Fescue, Early Hair-grass, Early Meadow-grass, Early Sand-grass, False Brome Grass, False Oat-grass, Fern Grass, Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue, Flattened Meadow-grass, Floating Sweet-grass, Foxtail Barley, French Oat, Glaucous Meadow-grass, Great Brome Grass, Greater Quaking Grass, Grey Hair-grass, Hairy Brome Grass, Hairy Finger-grass, Hard Fescue, Hard Grass, Harestail Grass, Heath Grass, Holy Grass, Hybrid Marram Grass, Italian Rye Grass, Knotroot Bristlegrass, Lesser Hairy Brome Grass, Lesser Quaking Grass, Loose Silky Bent, Lyme Grass, Marram Grass, Marsh Foxtail, Mat Grass, Mat-grass Fescue, Meadow Barley, Meadow Fescue, Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Oat-grass, Mountain Melick, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass, Narrow-leaved Small-reed, Neglected Couch Grass, Nit Grass, Orange Foxtail, Pampas Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Plicate Sweet-grass, Purple Moor-grass, Purple Small-reed, Purple-stem Catstail, Quaking Grass, Ratstail Fescue, Red Fescue, Reed Canary Grass, Reed Sweet-grass, Reflexed Saltmarsh Grass, Rescue Grass, Rough Meadow-grass, Rush-leaved Fescue, Sand Catstail, Sand Couch Grass, Scandinavian Small-reed, Scottish Small-reed, Sea Barley, Sea Couch Grass, Sea Fern Grass, Sheep's Fescue, Silver Hair-grass, Six-rowed Barley, Slender Brome Grass, Small Cord-grass, Small Sweet-grass, Smaller Catstail, Smooth Brome Grass, Smooth Cord-grass, Smooth Finger-grass, Smooth Meadow-grass, Soft Brome Grass, Somerset Hair-grass, Sorghum, Spreading Meadow-grass, Squirreltail Fescue, Stiff Brome Grass, Stiff Saltmarsh Grass, Sweet Vernal Grass, Tall Fescue, Timothy Grass, Tor Grass, Tufted Hair-grass, Two-rowed Barley, Upright Brome Grass, Velvet Bent, Viviparous Fescue, Wall Barley, Wavy Hair-grass, Wavy Meadow-grass, Whorl Grass, Wild Oat, Wood Barley, Wood Fescue, Wood Meadow-grass, Wood Melick, Wood Millet, Yellow Oat-grass, Yorkshire Fog
Type:
Flower
Life Cycle:
Perennial
Maximum Size:
2.25 metres tall
Habitats:
Hedgerows, woodland.

Flower:
֍
Green, no petals
 
Drooping clusters of 10 to 15cm spikelets. Long awned.
Fruit:
The fruit is a caryopsis.
Leaves:
A hairless plant with broad, glossy green leaf blades. Conspicuous basal auricles and purplish stem junctions. Giant Fescue is a perennial.
Other Names:
Tall Bearded Fescue, Tall Fescue.
Frequency (UK):
Common  

Similar Species

Hairy Brome Grass
Hairy Brome Grass

Other Information

Summary

Schedonorus gigantea, also known as giant fescue or tall fescue, is a species of grass in the genus Schedonorus. This species is not a fern, but a grass. It's native to Europe and Central Asia, but it is also widely cultivated and naturalized in other parts of the world as an ornamental plant or forage grass.

S. gigantea is a large, tufted grass that can reach up to 6-8 ft in height with leaves up to 2-3 inches wide. The leaves are typically blue-green in color and are flat and blade-like. The leaf blade is smooth and glossy with a distinct midrib. It produces panicles of flowers, which are typically green or purplish in color, that are fairly insignificant.

This grass prefers well-drained soils and can tolerate a wide range of soil types and pH, and it is tolerant of drought and heat. It is also tolerant of light shade, but it grows best in full sun. It is often used in landscaping, and can be used as a hedge, border, or specimen plant. It is also grown as a forage grass, particularly for cattle and horses.

This species is hardy in USDA zones 4-9, and it is relatively easy to grow if given suitable conditions. It is not considered as threatened species and it is commonly available commercially.

Blog

Giant Fescue (Schedonorus gigantea) is a cool-season grass that is commonly found in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and North America. This grass is a popular forage crop that is widely used for grazing and hay production. In addition to its uses as a forage crop, Giant Fescue is also an important component of many conservation and restoration projects.

Giant Fescue is a hardy grass that is well adapted to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. It can grow in both wet and dry soils and is tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, from -10°C to 30°C. It has a deep root system that allows it to withstand drought conditions and makes it a valuable grass for erosion control and soil stabilization.

One of the unique features of Giant Fescue is the presence of a fungal endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum) within its tissues. This endophyte has a mutualistic relationship with the grass, providing it with a number of benefits including increased drought and disease resistance. However, the endophyte also produces a number of alkaloids that can be toxic to livestock when consumed in large quantities. These alkaloids can cause a condition known as "fescue toxicosis" in livestock, which can lead to reduced weight gain, poor reproductive performance, and other health problems.

Despite the potential for fescue toxicosis, Giant Fescue remains a popular forage crop due to its hardiness and adaptability. In addition to its use as a forage crop, Giant Fescue is also an important component of many conservation and restoration projects. Its deep root system and tolerance to a wide range of conditions make it a valuable tool for stabilizing soil and preventing erosion.

Giant Fescue is an important grass species that has a wide range of uses and applications. While the presence of the endophyte can be a concern for livestock producers, this grass remains an important crop for many farmers and a valuable tool for conservation and restoration projects.

In addition to its value as a forage crop and for conservation and restoration projects, Giant Fescue also has a number of other uses. Its deep root system makes it a valuable grass for phytoremediation, or the process of using plants to remove pollutants from soil or water. Its ability to tolerate a wide range of conditions and grow in poor soils makes it a useful species for landscaping and revegetation projects.

Giant Fescue is a perennial grass, with long, narrow leaves that are a blue-green color. It flowers in the late spring and early summer, producing spikelets that contain the grass's seeds. The seeds are a valuable food source for many birds and small mammals, making Giant Fescue an important part of many ecosystems.

When it comes to managing Giant Fescue, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. If you plan to use this grass as a forage crop, it's important to carefully manage the endophyte to avoid the risk of fescue toxicosis. This may involve planting endophyte-free varieties, monitoring your livestock for signs of toxicity, and using other management practices to minimize the risk of exposure.

In addition, it's important to manage Giant Fescue carefully to prevent it from becoming invasive in certain ecosystems. While this grass is generally well-behaved, it can become a problem in areas where it is not native, particularly in riparian zones and other sensitive habitats.

Giant Fescue is a valuable grass species that has a wide range of uses and applications. Its hardiness, adaptability, and deep root system make it a valuable tool for farmers, conservationists, and landscapers alike. While the presence of the endophyte can be a concern in certain contexts, with careful management, Giant Fescue can be a valuable addition to many different ecosystems and landscapes.

In terms of cultivation, Giant Fescue is a relatively easy grass to establish and maintain. It can be planted through direct seeding or by transplanting seedlings, and it can be grown as a monoculture or in a mixture with other grasses and legumes. It responds well to fertilizer and can be mowed or grazed to control its height and promote denser growth.

Giant Fescue is a versatile grass that can be used for a variety of purposes. In addition to its use as a forage crop and for conservation and restoration projects, it is also commonly used for turf and landscaping, as well as for bioenergy production.

In terms of turf and landscaping, Giant Fescue is a popular choice due to its hardiness, drought tolerance, and low maintenance requirements. It is commonly used for golf course roughs, parks, and residential lawns.

Finally, Giant Fescue is also being investigated for its potential as a bioenergy crop. Its deep root system and tolerance to a wide range of conditions make it an attractive option for bioenergy production, and research is currently underway to explore its potential in this area.

Overall, Giant Fescue is a valuable grass species that has a wide range of uses and applications. Its hardiness, adaptability, and deep root system make it a valuable tool for farmers, conservationists, landscapers, and bioenergy researchers. While there are some management considerations to keep in mind, with proper care, Giant Fescue can be a valuable addition to many different ecosystems and landscapes.