Festuca rubra: The most important properties of red fescue at a glance
Festuca rubra (red fescue) is one of the most popular types of grass for gardens. Many lawn seed mixtures contain red fescue alongside ryegrass and meadow grass. This variety has particularly fine leaves and forms a strikingly dense turf. This makes the grass very resilient and durable.
In this article, we will summarize for you what makes Festuca rubra special and how you can best care for this lawn variety. You will also find out which gardens the variety is suitable for and what advantages our red fescue seeds offer you.
What is special about the Festuca rubra variety?
Festuca rubra forms particularly fine leaves, is also resilient and has few demands.
Learn moreWhat should you pay attention to when caring for red fescue?
You should regularly prune red fescue deeply, water it sufficiently and fertilize it several times a year.
Learn moreIn which gardens is it suitable to sow red fescue?
Red fescue can be sown excellently in gardens with high levels of stress.
Learn moreBuy high-quality lawn seeds with Festuca Rubra at RasenExpert:
We offer you a large selection of lawn seed mixtures with red fescue for your garden.
Learn moreWhat is special about the Festuca rubra variety?
Before you sow new grass in your garden, you should familiarize yourself with the different types of grass . There are sometimes big differences between the individual types. You are therefore faced with the challenge of finding the right type of grass for your garden and your individual requirements.
Red fescue is the perfect choice for many gardens. This is because the grass is particularly fine, but at the same time very dense. We summarize the special features of Festuca rubra for you:

Features:
Festuca rubra forms strikingly fine leaves that grow densely to very densely, depending on the subspecies. They have a grey-green colour and therefore appear particularly noble and delicate.

Claims:
Red fescue is considered to be an undemanding type of lawn. The grass copes well with a wide range of soil conditions and does not require excessive nutrient supply. Festuca rubra generally has a wide tolerance range and is considered to be uncomplicated.

Germination time:
Red fescue germinates relatively quickly. The grass grows quickly, especially at the beginning, and within a few weeks forms a denser carpet than other types of lawn. At the same time, Festuca rubra can suppress weeds.

Durability:
Red fescue is very resilient and can therefore cope well with stress. This is due to the high sward density, which makes the grass look like a dense carpet. This is why you can find Festuca rubra in a wide variety of seed mixtures.
Thanks to its low demands and high durability, red fescue is an excellent all-rounder that can be used in a wide variety of gardens. Before you buy a lawn seed mix, you should check whether Festuca rubra is included and what percentage of the mix the fine grass makes up.
What should you pay attention to when caring for red fescue?
If you have planted red fescue in your garden, you should consider the appropriate lawn care. This will help your lawn grow healthily and you will be able to enjoy a lush green lawn in the long term.
You can do this by providing Festuca rubra with the ideal care. This includes, for example, mowing the lawn. Red fescue can easily be cut deeper than other types of grass: cutting it back to 2 cm will not damage the lawn. In fact, the opposite is the case, as regular deep cutting stimulates growth and ensures a particularly dense lawn.
Although red fescue is not very demanding, you should fertilize your lawn regularly. Over time, the nutrients in the soil are used up and need to be replenished. This ensures that your lawn grows vigorously and also strengthens it.
We also recommend that you ensure that you water it sufficiently. Although Festuca rubra can cope relatively well with drought, you should water your lawn thoroughly once or twice a week in summer.
With these measures and the right lawn care, you can maintain a beautiful lawn in the long term. You can find all the important information on our blog:
In which gardens is it suitable to sow red fescue?
Red fescue is an excellent all-rounder and is therefore suitable for a wide variety of gardens and lawns. For example, it forms an excellent basis for sports and play lawns. This must be able to withstand great stress, such as children playing or romping dogs. Festuca rubra tolerates these stresses without any problems, as it forms a particularly dense turf.
This makes red fescue a popular component of shade lawns and ornamental lawns. At the same time, Festuca rubra is also used as landscape lawn and can even be sown on golf courses as golf turf. Red fescue grows particularly densely, can withstand high levels of wear and tear and has few requirements: This certainly makes this type of lawn a good choice for your garden.
Are there different subspecies of Festuca rubra?
Yes, there are different subspecies of Festuca rubra that differ slightly in their suitability. These include Festuca rubra rubra or Festuca rubra Trichophylla. These subspecies often have specific characteristics: for example, they form runners particularly quickly or grow even denser than other subspecies. If you decide on a lawn seed mixture with a high proportion of red fescue, then this is usually a combination of different types of Festuca rubra.
Buy high-quality lawn seeds with Festuca rubra at RasenExpert
Are you looking for lawn mixes with Festuca rubra for your garden? We have various seed mixes that contain red fescue. We offer you lawn seeds for a wide range of needs.
If you dream of a thick English lawn, then we recommend our PREMIUM ornamental lawn . It consists of 35% Festuca rubra and forms a particularly attractive carpet lawn. This makes it ideal for representative gardens where it will attract everyone's attention. Since red fescue is a low-cut lawn, you can cut your ornamental lawn back regularly and deliberately keep it short.
Our PREMIUM shade lawn is also a fine mixture that consists of 30% red fescue. The mixture tolerates shade very well and quickly forms a carpet-like appearance. The seeds germinate particularly quickly and sprout quickly.
Our PREMIUM sports and play lawn is also enriched with red fescue. The mixture consists of 10% Festuca rubra and forms an extremely resilient lawn that is ideal for families.
Due to its high germination capacity, red fescue is also included in our PREMIUM Express reseeding and our PREMIUM Universal reseeding . Find the right lawn seeds for your garden now:
Frequently asked questions about the special features of red fescue
Festuca rubra germinates after about 10 to 18 days. This type of grass has a particularly high germination capacity and grows into a dense carpet of grass within a few weeks. Make sure to keep the lawn moist at all times so that the young grass does not dry out. It will then grow particularly densely and be fully resilient in just a few months.
Festuca rubra has roots up to 50 centimeters deep. This makes this type of lawn one of those that forms deep roots. Red fescue can therefore also absorb moisture from the deeper layers of the soil. This enables a good supply of nutrients and water.
It is best to fertilize red fescue with a special lawn fertilizer. This popular all-rounder has a medium need for nutrients and can be supplied with a lawn fertilizer once or twice a year. Alternatively, slow-release fertilizers are also a good choice.
Conclusion: Sow red fescue in your garden & enjoy a long-term beautiful lawn
To ensure that you can enjoy a beautiful lawn in your garden in the long term, you need suitable seed. Our lawn seed mixtures contain red fescue in various proportions: They are optimally tailored to a wide range of needs and form an excellent basis for lush green lawns.
Take a look at our range now and find the right mix for your garden!