Cool-season grasses like tall fescue, fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial grass thrive in the Willamette Valley’s warm summers and cold winters.
They vary in their ability to tolerate shade, drought, and other stresses. It’s important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each grass to choose the right one for your lifestyle and preferences.
Tall fescue: Handles heat
Tall fescue performs exceptionally well in Portland, Eugene, and Salem, where summer temperatures reach the 80s, because it handles heat better than other cool-season grasses. But it grows most vigorously in spring and fall and looks beautiful, with medium to dark green leaves. It has a tendency to grow patchy, however. Fix this by overseeding with Kentucky bluegrass at a 50:50 ratio.
This cool-season grass grows best in full sun but can handle partial shade. Tall fescue has coarse grass blades that withstand foot traffic relatively well, but it doesn’t self-repair because it’s bunch-forming. On the positive side, it has an extensive root system and 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.)
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 are easy to care for and they thrive in the Willamette Valley. Fine fescues look beautiful and can survive with just four hours of dappled sunlight.
These grasses are the softest of all cool-season grasses and grow vigorously in spring and fall. Fine fescues don’t withstand heavy foot traffic and can’t self-repair. Creeping red fescue is an exception because it spreads by rhizomes.
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.)
Perennial ryegrass: Establishes quickly
Perennial ryegrass has fine-textured, dark green leaves but looks patchy. You can fix this by overseeding. While this grass isn’t as winter-hardy as cool-season grasses, it performs well in the Willamette Valley because the winters don’t get too cold here. Perennial ryegrass grows vigorously in spring and fall.
This cool-season grass thrives in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Perennial ryegrass endures high-foot traffic but can’t self-repair because it’s bunch-forming. Be sure to water this grass regularly in the summer to prevent it from going dormant.
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)
Kentucky bluegrass: Good in cold weather
Kentucky bluegrass withstands cold exceptionally well, so it thrives in the cool winters of Silverton, Stayton, and McMinnville. This grass grows dense and looks beautiful with its dark green leaves. Kentucky bluegrass has a medium-fine texture that’s soft on bare feet.
This grass grows best in full sun but can withstand partial shade. Kentucky bluegrass spreads by rhizomes, so it endures high-foot traffic and can self-repair. We recommend watering it regularly in summer to prevent it from going dormant.
Check out our guide for more on growing Kentucky bluegrass.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Looks beautiful ✓ Withstands foot traffic ✓ Excellent ability to self-repair ✓ Soft underfoot ✓ Spreads 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.)
More Lawn Care and Landscaping Resources for the Willamette Valley:
- Best Grass Types for Portland
- Growing Zones of the Willamette Valley
- Willamette Valley Native Plants for Landscaping
Hire a pro
- The Willamette Valley sees warm summers and cold winters, which is ideal for cool-season grasses. If you need help choosing the right grass or with regular lawn maintenance, get in touch with Lawn Love. Our seasoned pros can transform your yard from boring to beautiful without you having to break a sweat.
Check out the links below to learn about the best grass types for different regions of Oregon:
The Best Grass Seed for Oregon
The Best Grass Seed for Central Oregon
The Best Grass Seed for Southern Oregon
The Best Grass Seed for the Oregon Coast
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Main Image Credit: Rick Obst | Flickr | CC BY 2.0
