Products in Seeds & Traits: Fine Fescue

Sword is a Hard Fescue that combines dark green genetic color, great density, improved traffic tolerance and good overall disease resistance for a desirable quality turf. It has exhibited excellent resistance to Red Thread and good resistance to Dollar Spot. Sword was rated number 4 in NTEPs Fine fescue turf quality rating in “AMMI” group 1 trial. Sword does well in locations that have sandy loam soil. Sword also handles shade and is ideal in low maintenance situations. Sword is ideally suited for golf courses, parks, commercial and residential properties.

Gladiator is Columbia Seeds’ new and improved Hard Fescue. Its dark green color and excellent seedling vigor sets the new standard for hard fescue performance. Gladiator has shown excellent performance in the new Fine Leaf Fescue NTEP trials. Gladiator has superior density, seedling vigor and disease resistance. Gladiator is also currently being tested in the Regional Roadside Turfgrass Performance Testing Program. Gladiator is a versatile cultivar used for golf courses, parks, commercial landscape, home lawns, roadsides and low maintenances applications. Gladiator has exhibited excellent turf quality under fairway mowing and is a excellent choice for bunkers, roughs and out of play areas. Gladiator is very shade tolerant and can be used in low maintenance situations. In low maintenance areas Gladiator provides many benefits such as reduced water and fertilizer usage. Gladiator can be used on its own or mixed with other Fine Fescues, Perennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass.

Blue Mesa is a true Sheep’s Fescue (festuca Ovina) which is very limited in today’s marketplace. It is designed for low maintenance lawn and landscape areas, but can be a high quality turf when maintained with irrigation. Its low rate of leaf growth allows for infrequent mowings. When Blue Mesa is unmown, it will form a natural meadow type area. Blue Mesa is a bunch type grass with a fine leaf texture and a soft blue-gray leaf color, making it a great choice where a contrast in color is desired. Blue Mesa shows good winter color which differs from many other cool season species that go off-color with winter dormancy. Blue Mesa is a very versatile variety. It has excellent shade tolerance and handles drier shade environments. Blue Mesa is frequently used where soil erosion control is needed. Blue Mesa can also be used in flower bed or wildflower plantings.