Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescue thrive in Oregon’s warm summers and cold winters.
These grasses make beautiful lawns, but they vary in their ability to tolerate shade, drought, and foot traffic. It’s important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each when choosing one to fit your lifestyle and preferences.
Kentucky bluegrass: Best for cold weather
Kentucky bluegrass withstands cold exceptionally well and is an excellent choice for Oregon lawns. It spreads by rhizomes, so it’s durable and can self-repair. This cool-season grass grows dense and looks beautiful with its dark green leaves. It has a medium-fine texture that’s soft on bare feet.
This grass grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade, so it works well even if you have large trees in your yard. Kentucky bluegrass requires regular watering, especially if you live in hot areas like Ontario, Medford, and Grants Pass.
Check out our guide for more on growing Kentucky bluegrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Looks beautiful ✓ Withstands foot traffic ✓ Excellent ability to self-repair ✓ Soft underfootSpreads quickly | ✗ Requires frequent watering and fertilization ✗ Doesn’t tolerate shade ✗ Prone to thatch buildup, diseases, and pests ✗ Takes longer to germinate |
Grass Seed Options:
– Jonathan Green (11970) Blue Panther Kentucky Bluegrass Grass Seed (3 lbs.)
– SeedRanch Midnight Kentucky Bluegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
Perennial ryegrass: Establishes quickly
Perennial ryegrass isn’t as winter-hardy as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, but it performs well throughout Oregon because it doesn’t get too cold. This grass germinates quickly within 5 to 7 days and has fine-textured, dark green leaves but looks patchy. Perennial ryegrass grows vigorously during spring and fall.
This grass thrives in full sun but can handle partial shade. It doesn’t have rhizomes to self-repair but can withstand high-foot traffic. Be sure to water the grass regularly during summer so it doesn’t go dormant. We recommend overseeding perennial ryegrass with Kentucky bluegrass at a 75:25 ratio to give your lawn a dense appearance.
Check out our guide for more on growing perennial ryegrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Germinates quickly ✓ Handles heavy foot traffic ✓ Resists thatch buildup ✓ Feels soft underfoot ✓ Low mowing requirements | ✗ Looks patchy ✗ Doesn’t tolerate shade ✗ Poor ability to recover from damages ✗ Prone to diseases and insects ✗ Spreads slowly |
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Perennial Ryegrass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz ProTurf Perennial Ryegrass Fine Lawn Seed (choose your size)
Fine fescue: Low-maintenance
Fine fescue is a group of five different fine-textured, medium-green grasses: Chewings fescue, hard fescue, sheep fescue, slender creeping red fescue, and strong creeping red fescue. These cool-season grasses look beautiful, are easy to care for, and perform well in the Jory soil found in Oregon. Like other cool-season grasses, fine fescues grow vigorously in spring and fall.
These grasses grow best in full sun but can survive with just four hours of dappled sunlight. Fine fescues are the softest of all cool-season grasses, but they don’t withstand high-foot traffic and can’t self-repair. Creeping red fescue is an exception because it spreads by rhizomes. Fine fescues are prone to diseases like leaf spot and red thread.
Check out our guide for more on growing fine fescue.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Looks beautiful ✓ Germinates quickly ✓ Resists shade ✓ Withstands drought ✓ Soft underfoot ✓ Low fertilizer and maintenance needs | ✗ Poor ability to recover from damages ✗ Spreads slowly ✗ Susceptible to diseases and pests ✗ Not resilient to foot traffic |
Grass Seed Options:
– Outsidepride Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed (5 lbs.)
– Eretz Creeping Red Fine Fescue Seed (choose your size)
– Outsidepride Creeping Red Fine Fescue Grass Seed (25 lbs.)
Tall fescue: Best for hot areas
If you live on the Oregon Coast or in Southern Oregon, tall fescue is an excellent choice because it handles heat better than other cool-season grasses. This cool-season grass looks beautiful with medium to dark green leaves, but it isn’t as dense as Kentucky bluegrass. It grows vigorously during spring and fall.
Tall fescue grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Tall fescue has coarse blades that withstand foot traffic relatively well. However, it’s bunch-forming, which means you should overseed to fix the damaged spots. This cool-season grass has an extensive root system, so it resists drought exceptionally well.
Check out our guide for more about growing tall fescue.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Germinates quickly ✓ Withstands foot traffic ✓ Resists thatch buildup ✓ Withstands drought ✓ Resists shade ✓ Resists diseases | ✗ Looks patchy ✗ Poor ability to recover from damages ✗ Requires frequent mowing ✗ Spreads slowly |
Grass Seed Options:
– Triple-Play Tall Fescue Grass Seed Blend (5000 sq ft)
– Eretz Kentucky 31 K31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed (choose your size)
– Pennington The Rebels Tall Fescue Grass Seed Mix (7 lb.)
For more on Oregon grasses
Check out the links below to learn about the best grass types for your specific region:
- The Best Grass Seed for Central Oregon
- The Best Grass Seed for Southern Oregon
- The Best Grass Seed for Willamette Valley
- The Best Grass Seed for the Oregon Coast
FAQs
Does Bermudagrass grow well in Oregon?
Bermudagrass can grow in Oregon, but it prefers warmer climates as it’s a warm-season grass. Since the weather is cold here, the grass will be dormant for part of the year.
What’s the best time to plant grass seed in Oregon?
Cool-season grasses perform best in Oregon, and early fall is the best time to plant them. The soil temperature ranges from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during this period. Check out our guide on when to plant grass seed in Oregon.
What planting zone is Oregon?
Understanding your planting zone helps you identify plants that thrive in your region. Oregon is located in zones 4b to 9b, which means winter temperatures can drop to as low as -25 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. For more information, check out our guide on growing zones of Oregon.
When to hire a professional
Oregon sees warm summers and cold winters, which is ideal for cool-season grasses. If you need help choosing the right grass or with anything related to lawn care, get in touch with Lawn Love. Our local lawn care pros can transform your yard from boring to beautiful without you having to break a sweat.
More Lawn Care and Landscaping Resources for Oregon:
- Oregon Native Plants for Landscaping
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Main Image Credit: Visitor7 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0
