Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Common name: sheep fescue, cañuela de oveja

Family: Poaceae (Grass)

Distribution: Eurasia, North Africa

Habitat: Grasslands, open woodlands

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5 (-20 to -10 °F)

Life form: Grasses

Occurrence in New Mexico: Exotic

Growing Conditions: Sheep’s fescue is widespread throughout Europe and temperate Asia, and was widely planted in North America as a turf grass. It has naturalized in scattered locations in the United States, including California, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Illinois, South Carolina, and the New England states. It grows best on silty or sandy loam soils, but can grow on dry, gravelly or mineral soils. Its habitats range from 1,000-13,000 feet elevation, but it is most common from 3,000-8,000 feet. It grows along roadsides as well as in lawns and fields, parks, and open ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests, often in light shade. It is not particular about soil pH, but will not tolerate high water tables or flooding. This drought tolerant grass performs best with at least 12 inches annual precipitation. It is somewhat fire tolerant, but may require 2-3 years to fully recover. Its strong root system stabilizes soils, making it useful for land reclamation and erosion control of roadsides, industrial areas, ditch and canal banks, and clear cuts. Moderate tolerance of equipment traffic makes it useful along airport landing strips, in vineyards and orchards, on ski trails and campsites and other recreational sites. It spreads primarily via seeds. Broadcast seeds should be raked in and irrigated during the first year. Stands are often slow to develop. This dwarf bunchgrass grass grows most in spring and fall, and a good summer turf depends on adequate rainfall or irrigation.