As two of the most popular types of turf grass, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass can appear nearly identical to the untrained eye.
Despite their similarities, these grasses have pivotal differences that can either give you the best lawn on the block or a headache of a turf.
We’ve prepared a full comparison of the tall fescue and perennial ryegrass to help you pick out which best fits your needs.
Tall Fescue vs Perennial Ryegrass: Overview
Tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are two of the most popular fast-growing, cool-season turfs.
Compared to perennial ryegrass, tall fescue is less fussy. It’s better at tolerating acidic soils, insects, diseases, and has fewer water requirements.
Tall fescue takes a little longer to germinate, but they both establish quickly. While both are walkable, perennial ryegrass is softer and finer.
Perennial ryegrass isn’t as drought tolerant as tall fescue. It needs to be watered regularly, especially during dry spells.
| Characteristic | Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Classification | Cool-season grass | Cool-season grass |
| Growth Habit | Clump-forming or bunch-type | Clump-forming or bunch-type |
| Growth Rate | Fast | Fast |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun (minimum 8 hours) | Full sun (minimum 4 hours) |
| Cold Tolerance | Medium | High |
| Water Requirement | Medium | Low |
| Traffic Tolerance | Moderate to High | Low to Moderate |
| Insects and Diseases Tolerance | High | High |
What is Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)?
Scientifically known as festuca arundinacea, the tall fescue is a cool-season turf variety that develops into a lush, dense lawn.
It has wide leaves that are typically dark green-colored and grow to about 4 inches long. To the touch, they’re rather coarse but have glossy topsides.
Tall fescue is a popular choice for lawn turf as it’s highly tolerant to wear and tear. This means that it can handle heavy foot traffic well with minimal to no damage whatsoever.
What sets tall fescue apart from other popular turf varieties is that it grows a deep and complex root system. To be specific, it produces tiny rhizomes which allow it to extend vertically reaching depths of about 2 to 3 feet underground.
This extensive root system allows it to absorb moisture and nutrients deeper in the ground, which plays a part in its drought tolerance. Hence, it’s important to deeply water each week, especially in the summertime, to retain ground moisture.
Despite its minimum requirement of 8 hours in full sun, too much heat will cause it to brown.
It’s worth noting that the tall fescue isn’t best at self-repair. As a result, you’ll need to use professional-grade fertilizer along with some mulch to mend any bald spots.
Aside from that, it’s known to be prone to thinning when temperatures are low. It also thins when mowed below 1.5 inches.
What is Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)?
Perennial ryegrass, also referred to as lolim perenne, is a fast germinating and growing, cool-season grass variety. This makes it an ideal choice for when you’re in a rush to fill in your lawn.
It comes in a deep green shade that can make any lawn look well-tended without requiring as much work. In fact, perennial ryegrass doesn’t require much maintenance at all.
It’s a fine-textured grass with fine blades which make it softer than most turf varieties on the market. Hence, it’s great for walking barefoot.
Apart from that, it’s commonly used for grazing lands, too. It’s well-liked for being a great source of nutrients for animals.
However, it doesn’t handle heavy foot traffic well and can be slow to recover. This is primarily due to its delicate root system, which makes it sensitive to compaction and pressure.
Aside from that, its shallow root system means that it limits its ability to tolerate heat and drought as it can’t easily absorb moisture deep inside the soil.
Unlike other grass varieties, it doesn’t spread through stolons or rhizomes. Instead, it grows through tillers, which are extensive and interconnected roots.
Hence, it can often look rather patchy and sparse without regular re-seeding. On the bright side, it grows quite aggressively, which means that it can sometimes outcompete weeds.
This also prevents soil erosion as its large network of roots keep the soil intact and close together.
Perennial ryegrass requires full sun, but can withstand partial shade. Come wintertime, it often becomes dormant until temperatures begin to rise.
Tall Fescue and Perennial Ryegrass Compared
Now that you’ve gotten an overview of what tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are, it’s time to dive a little deeper.
We’ve broken down several considerations, from environmental preferences to maintenance requirements, to give you a full comparison of these top turf options.
Heat and Drought Tolerance
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Extensive root system that can extend to about 2 to 3 feet deep Easily able to absorb moisture deep in the soil. Able to withstand intense heat and extended periods of drought | Shallow root system of only about 10 centimeters deep Cannot absorb any moisture retained deep in the soil Cannot withstand intense heat or extended periods of drought |
When it comes to heat tolerance, tall fescue fares better than perennial ryegrass. In fact, it’s widely considered the most heat-tolerant of all cool-season grass varieties.
This ability is primarily due to its extensive root system that can reach depths of about 2 to 3 feet deep. This is considerably deeper than most cool-season grass varieties.
As a result, tall fescue is easily able to absorb any water hidden deep beneath the soil. Consequently, tall fescue also has a better drought tolerance.
Perennial ryegrass, on the other hand, has a relatively shallow root system. This hinders its ability to access any water that’s far into the soil.
About 75% of all of the perennial ryegrass’s roots occupy the first 10 centimeters of soil. This leaves only 25% of roots left to absorb any remaining moisture found deeper in the soil.
Hence, it has a low tolerance for drought. Even then, there have been breeding programs that have been able to develop certain perennial ryegrass varieties that can better withstand dry spells.
| Grass Variety | Max Temperature Before Dormancy |
| Tall Fescue | 87°F or 30°C |
| Perennial Ryegrass | 95°F or 35°C |
When it comes to dormancy, tall fescue can handle higher temperatures slightly better than perennial ryegrass, at 87°F or 30°C and 95°F or 35°C respectively.
Once they’ve entered their dormant stage, their growth will be paused until temperatures regulate.
In conclusion, tall fescue is a more viable option if you live in a warmer climate and experience prolonged periods of drought. It’s also a better choice if you’re not one to water often.
Cold Tolerance
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| A tad hardier and slightly better at tolerating the cold weather Prone to thinning which will result in a sparse lawn | Poorer at withstanding low temperatures Leaves will brown as spring nears. |
It’s interesting to note that both tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are cold-season turf varieties. This means that they’re naturally able to develop in locations that receive extended periods of hot summers and cold winters.
Even then, both are susceptible to suffering from winter damage, especially during prolonged low temperatures.
However, tall fescue is tad hardier and slightly better at tolerating the cold in comparison to perennial ryegrass.
Tall fescue is known to be prone to thinning, especially when temperatures remain consistently low. As a result, your lawn will look rather sparse throughout the wintertime.
Meanwhile, perennial ryegrass often remains green during winter months before turning brown as temperatures begin to rise.
Once temperatures reach 50°F or 10°C, both tall fescue and perennial ryegrass will begin to go dormant.
At this point, they’ll pause their growth and reawaken as temperatures begin to rise and spring starts to settle in.
Overall, tall fescue is only slightly better at withstanding cold temperatures as they both go dormant once temperatures fall to 50°F or 10°C and lower.
Though, if you’re picky about how your lawn will look during winter, you may prefer perennial ryegrass instead since it keeps its green color.
Traffic Tolerance and Durability
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Course and study blades – makes it more durable for high-traffic areas Able to repair itself easily and quickly | Fine-textured and delicate leaves – makes it unable to withstand heavy foot traffic Adequate regenerative capacity Better at handling compaction because of a shallow root system |
When it comes to traffic tolerance and durability, tall fescue fares better than perennial ryegrass by a long shot.
The blades of tall fescue is coarse and sturdy, which makes it more durable for high-traffic areas. Even if it does get damaged in the long run, it can easily and quickly repair itself.
Meanwhile, perennial ryegrass has fine-textured and delicate leaves that can be rather sensitive when walked on. Hence, it’s not the ideal option if you’ve got home full of kids and pets who love to run around the yard.
Nevertheless, its redeeming feature is that it has an adequate regenerative capacity. So even when patches get sparse from damage, it can easily repair itself within a small time frame.
Apart from that, perennial grass is better at handling compaction thanks to its shallow root system. This is important to take into consideration as heavy traffic causes the soil to compress.
Having said all of that, if you plan to fully make use of your lawn, you’ll want it to be able to withstand the wear and tear. Thus, tall fescue is the better option given its resilience.
Though, if you don’t plan on applying too much pressure on your lawn and only walking on it occasionally, you may like perennial ryegrass better given its soft and fine texture.
Shade Tolerance
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Moderate shade tolerance, but can grow well in partially shaded areas. | Low shade tolerance, but can withstand light shade. |
Tall fescue is known to perform better at withstanding shade in comparison to perennial ryegrass and other cool-season turf varieties.
Even then, it only has a moderate shade tolerance. While it can grow well in partially shaded areas, it still prefers sunny locations that receive at least 8 hours of full sun.
Meanwhile, perennial ryegrass has a low shade tolerance. Even though it can withstand light shade, it prefers areas that get at least 4 hours of full sun where it’ll easily thrive.
As a result, perennial ryegrass is better off in lawns that receive complete sun exposure. If your property receives shade every once in a while, tall fescue may be better for you.
Seed Germination Time
| Winner: Perennial Ryegrass | Winner: Perennial Ryegrass |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Takes anywhere from 7 to 21 days to germinate Ideal temperatures around 50°F to 65°F or 10°C to 18°C | Only takes around 5 to 9 days to germinate Ideal temperatures around 50 to 60°F or 10 to 15°C |
It’s interesting to note that perennial ryegrass is considered to have one of the fastest growth and germination rates among other grass varieties in the market.
In fact, it only takes around 5 to 9 days for perennial ryegrass seeds to germinate if conditions are favorable and cool enough. To be precise, temperatures should be around 50°F to 60°F or 10°C to 15°C for it to shoot up.
After a couple of weeks, you can expect a lucious, fully-coated space. Because of this, it’s an ideal option if you’re looking to quickly fill in your lawn.
Meanwhile, tall fescue takes a little longer to germinate at around 14 to 21 days. Ideally, temperatures should be around 50°F to 65°F or 10°C to 18°C for best results.
All said, if you’re looking for a grass variety that doesn’t take long to germinate and give you a whole lawn, you’re better off with planting perennial ryegrass.
Soil Type
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Adaptable and can grow well in nearly all types of soil, from acidic to alkaline | Grows best in well-draining, loam-clay type soils |
What’s great about both the tall fescue and perennial ryegrass is that they aren’t too fussy about the type of soil they’re grown in.
However, it’s still highly recommended to plant them in their ideal soil types to achieve optimal growth.
Though, between the two, tall fescue is generally more adaptable than perennial ryegrass. It can develop pretty well in virtually all types of soil, from acidic to alkaline.
Hence, it’s a great all-around choice if you’ve had challenges growing turf on your property or just have poor soil conditions.
On the other hand, perennial ryegrass prefers loam-clay type soil. In fact, it’s better at tolerating wet soil types in comparison to other rye varieties.
It prefers more compact soil types because this medium retains more water than dry, sandy types.
As mentioned earlier, perennial ryegrass has a short root system so it has difficulty taking in water deep in the soil.
Though, it’s important to avoid overwatering, both frequently and in large doses. This is because shallow roots can be more susceptible to diseases brought about by standing water.
Overall, both tall fescue and perennial ryegrass favor soil that’s fertile and well-draining.
pH Level
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Can tolerate strongly acidic soil with a pH level of 4.5 to alkaline soil with a pH level of 9.0 Best grown in that has a pH level of anywhere between 5.5 to 6.5, which is slightly acidic. | Poorer tolerance for acidic and saline soil – cannot withstand pH levels below 5 or above 7. Develops best in soil with a pH level between 5.5 to 7 |
If you’d prefer a turf variety that can tolerate virtually any type of pH level, you’re better off with tall fescue.
It can tolerate strongly acidic soil with a pH level of 4.5 to alkaline soil with a pH level of 9.0. However, it’s best to grow tall fescue in soil that has a pH level of anywhere between 5.5 to 6.5, which is slightly acidic.
This ensures optimal growth as the grass will easily be able to take in the nutrients that it needs.
Meanwhile, perennial ryegrass has a poorer tolerance for acidic and saline soil. To be specific, it cannot withstand pH levels below 5 or above 7.
Despite being able to tolerate slightly acidic and alkaline soil types, its sweet spot it at
pH levels of anywhere between 5.5 to 7.
| Grass Variety | Ideal pH Level |
| Tall Fescue | 5.5 to 6.5 |
| Perennial Ryegrass | 5.5 to 7 |
All said, tall fescue may be the best option if you prefer a more adaptable grass variety. This way, you don’t have to worry too much about constantly ensuring that your soil is at the right pH level.
Fertilizer Requirements
| Winner: Both | Winner: Both |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Similar fertilizer requirements – both need about 2 to 4 lbs (around 1 to 2kg) of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. or 93 sq. m. | Similar fertilizer requirements – both need about 2 to 4 lbs (around 1 to 2kg) of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. or 93 sq. m. |
When it comes to fertilizer requirements, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass have similar needs.
They need about 2 to 4 lbs (around 1 to 2kg) of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. or 93 sq. m. annually.
The best time to administer fertilizer is when they’re at their most active growth period and developing aggressively, which is typically in early spring and during fall.
For a healthier lawn with more vibrant colors, you can also use starter fertilizers that have an NPK ratio of around 5-10-5.
Alternatively, you can use a starter fertilizer that has a high phosphorus content. This will help your grass improve its ability to break down starch and sugar.
To make your lawn look healthier, you could add organic materials such as compost. You can do this during the fall to give your turf enough time to absorb all the nutrients to prepare for the coming year.
Other than that, they don’t need much
Mowing Maintenance
| Winner: Both | Winner: Both |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Best kept at a height of 1.5 to 3 inches | Looks best when mowed to a height of 1 ½ inches to 2 ½ inches tall |
When it comes to mowing requirements, it’s completely up to you whether you’d like to keep them a little long or short.
If you’d prefer them long for aesthetic purposes, it’s also interesting to note that this helps the grass to conserve water, too.
This is primarily because allowing the grass to grow helps encourage root development. In turn, this helps make your grass more drought-resistant.
On the other hand, you can cut them short to about an inch if you would rather have a well-kempt look.
It’s important to keep in mind that tall fescues tend to thin out when mowed to a height of less than 1.5 inches. To avoid this, keep your mowing height to about 1.5 to 3 inches.
On the bright side, it’s pretty low maintenance which means that you don’t have to mow as frequently as other grass varieties.
Meanwhile, perennial grass looks best when kept at a height of between 1 ½ inches to 2 ½ inches tall. This way, it looks lush and dense.
Remember to maintain a standard mowing height as this prevents disrupting its shallow root system and promotes growth.
Water Requirements
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Doesn’t need to be watered as frequently because it’s able to absorb moisture deep within the soil | Requires frequent waterings to keep the soil moist, especially if the soil is dry or sandy |
Perennial ryegrass requires more frequent watering because it has shallow root systems. Hence, soil needs to be moistened often to give the grass a supply to absorb from.
Alternatively, they’re best planted in areas that receive rainfall often. This way, the soil is continuously watered.
It’s important to water perennial ryegrass deeply, especially if you have dry and sandy soil, because this encourages extensive root growth. This also eliminates stress that could inhibit development.
Since tall fescue has an extensive and deep root system, it’s able to take in moisture from deep in the soil. As a result, it’s drought-hardy and doesn’t require as frequent watering.
Tall fescue needs only about an inch of water each week. If your lawn has just received a good amount of rainfall, you can skip that week’s watering session.
This is to avoid overwatering which is one of the leading causes of damage as standing water can make the roots susceptible to diseases.
All said, you’ll want to consider your watering habits when selecting which turf to use.
If you don’t mind frequent watering or live in a location that often has rain, then you’ll be able to provide perennial ryegrass with enough water to grow properly.
However, if you’d like to avoid watering often and want a drought-tolerant turf, then you’re better off with tall fescue.
Common Pests and Diseases
| Winner: Tall Fescue | Winner: Tall Fescue |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| Has a higher recovery rate | Poor recovery rate |
Both turf varieties are susceptible to diseases, especially when moisture levels remain consistently high. Excess moisture promotes the growth of mold, powdery mildew, algae, fungi, and bacteria.
One of the most usual diseases brought about by too much moisture is brown patch disease. It’s a fungal disease referred to as Rhizoctonia solani which causes round patches of dead grass.
This tends to occur when humidity levels rise, especially during the summer months. You’ll notice light patches of dead grass with a reddish-brown or purple-colored outline.
However, tall fescue is better at managing excess moisture than perennial ryegrass. Even then, you’ll want to be careful about the excessiveness of your waterings.
Unfortunately, both tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are both susceptible to pests. You can also expect digging animals to deal damage to both plants’ root systems.
For tall fescue, a couple of the most common pests you’ll find terrorizing it are:
- Ants
- Grubs
- Thrips
- Cutworms
- Slugs
- Snails
- Army worms
Meanwhile, here are a few insects that are known to cause damage to perennial ryegrass:
- Field crickets
- Pasture Scarabs
- Army worms
- Slugs
- Snails
- Redlegged earth mite
- Blue oat mite
- Grub worms
- Webworms
- Thrips
Even then, tall fescue has a better chance at recovering thanks to its quick recovery rate. Hence, it’s unlikely that any injury will last very long.
Best Uses
| Winner: Both | Winner: Both |
| Tall Fescue | Perennial Ryegrass |
| •Lawns •School grounds •Sports fields | •Silages or pastures •Parks •School grounds |
One of the last and most important features to take into account when choosing between tall fescue and perennial ryegrass is their intended purpose. By considering this, you’ll be able to maximize the benefits of each grass variety.
Tall fescue is most commonly used as a lawn grass because of its durability and resilience. It can withstand high traffic, which means that you can let your children or pets roam freely without much worry.
Even if it does incur damage, tall fescue has a high recovery rate which’ll help it recuperate quickly.
While tall fescue is also sometimes used as silage for grazing animals, perennial ryegrass is most preferred because of its tillers. This allows it to remain vegetative all throughout the summertime, which means less work for farmers.
Aside from that, their flower buds stay alive even after the main tiller expires. As a result, farmers don’t need to worry about replanting perennial ryegrass as it can survive multiple seasons.
Perennial ryegrass is also typically used in schools and parks because of its quick germination and growth. Thus, there’s little to think about as far as replanting is concerned.
It’s also the most preferred turf for places abundant with children because of its soft and fine-textured blades. This way, youngsters can play freely on the ground without worrying about getting scratched.
Though, if the children that will be using the turf are a bit more rowdy, then tall fescue is a better choice. Thanks to its coarse blades and durability, it can easily withstand rough play and sports.
Summary: Tall Fescue and Perennial Ryegrass Compared
Overall, you may be wondering – is there a winner? Well, the answer to that question depends on your personal preferences.
Though, based on our assessments, tall fescue seems to have the upper hand since it holds several advantages. To be specific, it’s able to withstand poor environmental conditions and doesn’t need as much maintenance.
Hence, tall fescue may be the best option if you’re looking for an easy and fuss-free turf that can grow in even the most challenging conditions.
However, perennial ryegrass does have its pros, too. Thanks to its fine-textured blades, it’s a great turf choice for walking barefoot, especially with children.
Apart from that, it’s known to grow incredibly fast and is great at preventing soil erosion. So, it’s worth picking perennial ryegrass if you want to fill in your lawn quickly.
Because of its long growing season and nutrition content, it’s a great pasture grass that can help increase the production of your grazing animals.
FAQs
It’s not recommended to mix perennial ryegrass and tall fescue together because they’ll be competing together for space, sunlight, water, and nutrients.
As a result, both grass varieties won’t be able to achieve optimal growth due to the stress and lack of sufficient necessities.
When temperatures rise, your tall fescue will be able to overpower your ryegrass, causing it to die. This’ll leave sparse and weak patches all over your lawn.
Perennial ryegrass is better for your soil because it helps break it up, preventing soil erosion and compaction. It has porous roots that help make paths for water and nutrients to easily travel through the soil.
You can plant perennial ryegrass if you live in a hot and humid environment. That said, note that it has a short system, which will require a consistent watering routine to ensure that there’s enough moisture in the soil.
The best grass variety to mix with tall fescue is kentucky bluegrass because the latter can help increase recovery rate from damage or drought
The best mixture should contain around 990% to 95% of tall fescue and about 5% to 10% of Kentucky bluegrass.
Kentucky bluegrass also fares better in the shade, which can help increase tall fescue’s shade tolerance.
Perennial ryegrass is best mixed with Kentucky bluegrass as the latter has better drought, disease, and traffic tolerances. Hence, it can significantly improve perennial ryegrass’s resistance and durability.
An ideal blend consists of about 80% Kentucky bluegrass and only 20% perennial ryegrass.
Though, if you’d want to improve this mixture’s ability to tolerate shade, it’s recommended to add creeping red fescue into the composition.
