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Hard Fescue

Festuca ovina

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in meadows, pastures, disturbed areas, often used for soil stabilization. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
About 6 inches
Light
Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to moist
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • Kentucky Bluegrass
    Poa pratensis

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Gray/silver, green or purple.

    Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light

  • Path Rush
    Juncus tenuis

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Green.

    Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light

  • Yellow Nutsedge
    Cyperus esculentus

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Brown/copper, yellow or red.

    Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light

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At a glance

Bloom
May to June
Fruiting season
Spring to summer

Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 3 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Meadows

Open, grassy or flowery ground that is not wet, such as mountain meadows; wet meadows are separate.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

10CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Festuca

  • Acrolophus popeanellaClemen's Grass Tubeworm
  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Apamea sordensBordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot
  • Atalopedes huronSachem
  • Chrysoteuchia topiariusCranberry Girder, Subterranean Webworm, Topiary Grass-Veneer
  • Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
  • Hesperia sassacusIndian Skipper
  • Pediasia trisectaSod Webworm Moth, Larger Sod Webworm
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
6BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Festuca

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
  • Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Spizella pusillaField Sparrow
  • Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Poaceae
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Slow
Growth habit
Grows in clumps
Foliage color
Gray-green
Fruit begins
Spring
Fruit ends
Summer

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Festuca ovina

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources