Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue
Tall fescue is an important turf grass in the United States today, but that wasn't always the case. Kentucky 31, known in the seed industry as KY-31 or K-31, helped tall fescue grasses transition from livestock pastures to lush, durable, manicured lawns. Lawn owners value its easy establishment, drought resistance and improved heat tolerance as well. If you're in the market for an economical, low-maintenance grass — with a bit of history thrown in — Kentucky 31 tall fescue may be for you.
KY-31 Tall Fescue at a Glance
Cool-season grass suitable for northern and transition zones.
Improved heat tolerance over many tall fescue varieties.
Tolerant of drought, shade and traffic.
High disease resistance.
Bunch-forming growth habit.
Low-maintenance and economical.
KENTUCKY 31 TALL FESCUE HISTORY
Tall fescue grasses came to the U.S. from Europe in the 1800s. Durable and adaptable, these grasses gained wide use as "forage" or pasture grasses for grazing livestock. In 1931, a University of Kentucky professor heard about a remarkable tall fescue growing nearby. Upon seeing it, he recognized qualities that improved upon common forage grasses, including green color during cold weather and stability on erosion-prone slopes.
Seed was taken from those long-established Kentucky fields and research ensued. In 1942, the grass was introduced into the agricultural seed market as Kentucky 31 tall fescue, named for the state and year in which it was discovered.1 It quickly gained favor for use in agriculture, conservation and erosion control.
As Kentucky 31's popularity grew through the 1950s, its excellent disease resistance and resilience attracted attention. Among those keen on the grass' potential was Brooks Pennington, Jr., who was in the process of shifting Pennington Seed's focus from agricultural seed products to seeds for lawns and turf.
In the late 1960s, Pennington introduced a proprietary seed treatment that helped seed establish faster and stay healthier. Known as Penkote, the process enabled Pennington to offer Kentucky 31, still known as a forage grass, as a viable alternative to the more demanding turf grasses of the time. The move put low-maintenance, easy-care, disease-resistant lawns within the average homeowner's reach. In the process, Kentucky 31 became the original tall fescue lawn grass and an integral part of Pennington Seed history, leading the way for the modern turf-type tall fescue lawn grasses that followed.
Today Kentucky 31 tall fescue seed is produced in major U.S. grass-growing regions from Missouri to Oregon, as evidenced on the seed tag you'll find attached to all grass seed products. Economical, easy-to-establish Pennington Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed remains a leading choice for low-maintenance lawns that can withstand heat, drought and wear.
Planting Rate/acre: 8-10 lbs
Price Per Bag
Bag Sizes Available: 50#