Question
Hi Marc, I would like to know the form and morphology (appearence)of Festuca rubra and its uses in the garden.
I only know that it is mixed with Brown top grasses for lawns because it can take close cutting I believe. Thanks.


Answer
General appearance and uses:
http://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/d%20-%20g/festuca_rubra_rf.htm

What your government says about it:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=FERU2

And, finally, our local turf supplier for our area (Great Basin/Northern NV & CA) uses it in its seed mix, and says that it can be mowed down as low as 1/2?
http://www.westernturf.com/index.html

I'm really not a turf agronomist, so I rely on their opinions.

Funny you should ask about this.  Just htis afternoon I read an article that estimates that turf in the United State's is the LARGEST irrigated crop; 4-times that of Corn, with an estimated 128,000 square kilometers under 揷ultivation?  

To put that bit of trivia into a form I can understand, that's almost 50,000 sq. miles, or 31.6 million acres ?The size of the entire state of Louisiana, or all of the public/private forestlands of California Imagine the clippings, water use, and fertilizer bill!

Another reason to limit its use in the urban setting.

Hope this helps -Marc