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Rough Fescue Complex

Festuca scabrella, native

  • Dominant in transitional zones between dry prairie areas dominated by woody species
  • Long-lived, cool season perennial
  • Emergence can be poor as high soil moisture is required for adequate emergence
  • Requires at least two full growing seasons to fully establish
  • Very productive forage
  • Will decline in vigour and prominence over time and be replaced by an increase of forbs and grasses
  • Plants produce seed only every two years (at the very most), making seed expensive and in short supply
  • F. hallii likes moist prairies and grassy openings in aspen parkland — found in the central to northern parts of the Canadian Prairies
  • F. campestris likes cool, moist grasslands of the foothills and montane regions — found in the grasslands of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and Cypress Hills
  • F. altaica likes a wide variety of habitats from gravel outwashes to open pine forest and meadows in the northern subalpine and arctic — found in northern boreal forest and along Canadian Rocky Mountains

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Characteristics Table
Growth Habit Bunchgrass
Flood Tolerance Poor
Drought Tolerance Fair
Salt Tolerance Poor
Soil PH Neutral
Soil Type Moderately Coarse to Moderately Fine
Approx. Seeds/lb 200,000
Canopy Mature Height F. hallii 20-60 cm F. campestris 30-100 cm F. altaica 30-80 cm

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