Tall Fescue In Kentucky: The First 80 Years

Tall fescue is a native of Europe. The exact date of its’ introduction into the United States is not known, but likely came as a contaminant in meadow fescue seed from England prior to 1880 (Figure 1). Tall Fescue was an entry in the National Herbarium Collection in 1879 and was grown in plots in Utah, Kentucky and Maryland (USDA) in 1880. In 1916, tall fescue plants were identified in Pullman, Washington with some of these plants taken to Corvallis, Oregon in 1918. Selections out of this initial planting were released in 1945 as the variety Alta