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Scientific name:	Festuca pratensis
Cultivars:	Azov, and Hidden Valley (developed in WI for high forage under grazing). Late maturing: LiHerold, Tetrax, KF galaxy
Origin:	Northern Europe; Mountains of southern Europe.
Growth Habit:	Bunch type with short rhizomes, spreading by tillers
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Use
Production:	~1 to 1.5 ton DM/acre, which can be double with the application of manure Grows well early spring, and into late fall. Superior to to KY bluegrass during the summer months, but not as good as native bluestem pastures during summer
Nutritive Value:	Superior; Highly palatable, high protein and digestibility Contains a non-toxic endophyte that does not produce alkaloids that are toxic to livestock Highly preferred by horses
Herbaria Image:	Click this link
Identification
Seed Head:	Panicle, not as drooping or open as bromegrass; it takes 28-30 days from heading to maturing
Seed:	24 lb/bushel
Shoot:	15 to 24 inches tall on upland soil and 3+ feet on fertile soils
Leaf:	Intense green color, glossy on the abaxial side (underside), also serrated margins Pronounced leaf venation (ridge) but less than Tall Fescue. Many basal leaves Part of broadleaf fescue type (together with ryegrasses)
Auricles:	Present, small, narrow
Ligule:	Membranous and small
Adaptation
Soil:	Heavy clay soils; not adapted to light sandy soils
pH:	~5.5 to 7.0
Moisture:	Medium to high drought tolerance as well as flooding Adapted to wet places better than other forages like red clover, timothy or KY bluegrass
Temperature:	Superior cold tolerance. Long-term persistence under severe winter conditions with low temperatures, dry winds, and little snow cover
Other:	Grows well in mixes with other forages among them bromegrass, KY bluegrass, orchardgrass, timothy, ryegrass, alfalfa, alsike, red and white clover;
Establishment - Management
Seeding rate:	25-35 lb/acre (alone); 10-15 lb/acre (mixes), or if planting with a drill Cross-drilling is recommended with 10-15 lb/acre each way
Seed cost:	$3/lb; $75-100/acre (alone); $30-45/acre (in mixes)
Planting date:	Mid August to Mid September is recommended; it provides a good start in the fall and insures a seed crop the following season Spring seeding can be done but in getting the grass started there is a loss of a crop year
Planting depth:	1/4 to 1/2 inch, on well prepared seedbed
Frost seeding:	Yes
Fertilization:	Follow soil test recommendations. 40-60 lb N/acre/harvest
Grazing:	Well adapted to frequent grazing, Graze for a short time in spring and again in the fall as not to affect the seed harvest. Minimum problem with bloating when alfalfa is less than 50%
Hay:	Yields less than Tall Fescue or Orchardgrass Easy to dry for hay Can be cut high for seed, which leaves a good hay crop of leaves to be cut later. Harvest for seed is at the stage when the seedhead begins to droop due to ripening weight, usually around July
Notes
Introduced to the US since 1800's. Can be affected by rust Great for improving soil texture Seed can be contaminated with cheatgrass (Bromus spp.) because seeds are very similar (need to be careful when outsourcing the seed)