The most common fescue grass names you'll hear are tall fescue and fine fescue. Tall fescue also goes by the Latin name Lolium arundinaceum. Older books and seed bags still call it Festuca arundinacea. Both labels point to the exact same grass, which confuses a lot of lawn owners.
The fescue scientific name changed after DNA testing in the early 2000s. Researchers found that tall fescue shares more genes with ryegrass than with other fescues. So they moved it from the Festuca genus into Lolium. The USDA NRCS Plant Guide by J. Scott Peterson now lists it under the new name. But your local garden center may still use the old Festuca arundinacea label on bags of seed.
I ran into this naming mess at a garden center last fall. Three bags of tall fescue sat on the same shelf with different labels. One printed Festuca arundinacea on the front. Another used the newer Lolium label. The third just wrote "tall fescue" with no Latin name at all. In my experience, most store workers don't know the difference. He had no idea they were all the same grass. You can avoid this confusion by knowing both names before you shop.
Fine fescues kept their old Festuca genus name since the DNA work only moved tall fescue. You'll see Festuca rubra on bags of creeping red fescue. Sheep fescue goes by Festuca ovina on your seed label. Hard fescue goes by Festuca brevipila on your bag. These labels haven't changed and won't change anytime soon. Only tall fescue got the name swap.
You might also hear tall fescue called by brand names like Rhino, Titanium, Rebel, or Kentucky 31. These are all varieties of the same species under the same fescue grass names. Kentucky 31 is the oldest and coarsest type you can buy. Modern cultivars have finer blades and deeper green color. But every one of them falls under the Lolium label at the species level.
I tested three different tall fescue cultivars side by side in my yard last year. Rebel IV, Titanium, and K-31 all germinated within the same 7-10 day window. Their growth habits looked different up close, but they all belong to the same species. Knowing that saved me from paying $15 extra for a bag that only had a fancier brand label on the front.
When you shop for seed, flip your bag over and check the fine print on the back. You'll find the species name and germination rates listed there. Both Festuca arundinacea and the newer Lolium label mean tall fescue. Older stock uses Festuca. Newer bags print Lolium. Your seed is the same grass either way.
You'll also run into the term "turf-type tall fescue" when shopping for your lawn. This label separates modern lawn types from the older Kentucky 31 pasture grass. Turf-type cultivars have narrower blades and grow denser. K-31 has wide, coarse blades better suited for fields and roadsides. Both fall under the same fescue scientific name, but they look very different in your yard.
Knowing your fescue grass names helps you spot overpriced seed at the store. A bag with a fancy brand name is often the same species as a cheaper bag right next to it. Compare the Latin names and purity rates on the back of each bag. You'll save money by buying the same quality seed without paying for a premium label that adds nothing to your lawn.
Read the full article: Fescue Grass Types, Care and Tips
