Festuca ovina - Sheep Fescue

Sheep Fescue is a hardy, drought-tolerant bunchgrass with fine, blue-green leaves that form dense, tufted clumps. Requiring little to no mowing or supplemental watering, it makes an excellent low-maintenance sod lawn replacement, either on its own or as part of a low-care turf mix, creating a soft, lumpy, lawn, when seeded densely. When given space, it can grow up to 12 to 14 inches wide, and its deep root system makes it especially resilient in dry, rocky, or nutrient-poor soils, an ideal choice for those facing outdoor water restrictions.

Thriving in well-drained soils, Sheep Fescues upright, airy seed heads add movement and structure to the landscape. Its dense, clumping growth offers valuable shelter for ground-nesting birds like meadowlarks and sparrows, while its natural allelopathic properties help suppress weed growth. Whether used in xeriscapes, erosion control plantings, as a lawn replacement or as a meadow grass paired with wildflowers, it brings texture, resilience, and ecological value to any low-maintenance landscape. While not immune to browsing, it is not a preferred food source for deer.

Sheep Fescue is also available in larger quantities and is used in some of our grass mixes. These products can be found in our "Native Grass Seed and Mixes" section.