Rough Fescue vs Woolgrass

Woolgrass is a native perennial sedge that forms dense clumps in wetlands, ditches, and along shorelines. Its ability to thrive in saturated soils and shallow water, combined with its spreading growth habit, makes it especially valuable for waterside & riparian plantings, erosion control, ecological restoration, and naturalization projects.
The distinctive spikelets are covered in brown woolly bristles, which is where it gets the name Woolgrass. It produces seeds that are eaten by waterfowl and small mammals, while its dense stems offer cover and nesting habitat. It grows most actively in spring and fall, slowing or going dormant in the summer heat.

Rough Fescue is a native perennial bunchgrass valued for its tall, dense clumps and long-lived growth. Adapted to cold climates and nutrient-poor soils, it is a defining species of northern prairie and montane grasslands. In western Canada and the northern Rocky Mountains, Rough Fescue is considered a keystone species because it shapes plant communities, stabilizes soils, and supports ecosystem resilience.

It is a cool-season grass, growing most actively in spring and fall and slowing during the heat of summer. Rough Fescue is highly regarded as forage for wildlife and livestock, with elk, deer, and other grazing animals favoring it. Taller than many other fescue species, it is well-suited to prairie restoration, erosion control, and naturalization projects where it supports both biodiversity and long-term ecosystem health.

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