Is Festuca glauca a fescue?
Blue fescue grass (Festuca glauca) is a colorful ornamental grass with icy blue foliage and pale yellow flowers. It is drought-tolerant and grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. Gardeners like its ease of care and its fine texture, which makes it a good companion plant for heavier or more dramatic plantings.
How far apart do you plant Festuca glauca?
Replant the two new clumps as new plants, spacing them 8 to 10 inches apart. Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' is the most popular cultivar, an 8-inch tall plant with light blue foliage. F. glauca 'Golden Toupee' has leaves that are chartreuse instead of blue-green.
How do you propagate Elijah Blue Festuca glauca?
Cut the clump in half, prying away the brown center portion of each smaller clump. Replant the two new clumps as new plants, spacing them 8 to 10 inches apart. Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' is the most popular cultivar, an 8-inch tall plant with light blue foliage.
Is fescue an evergreen?
Vill. Festuca glauca, commonly known as blue fescue, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, Poaceae. It is a commonly cultivated evergreen or semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial .
Does blue fescue stay green all year?
Blue fescue plants are evergreen, but they do lose some of the older blades and grow new fresh deep blue leaves in spring. The older leaves adhere to the plant and spoil the bright coloration.
What does blue fescue look like in winter?
Fescues are cool season grasses so they look their best in spring and fall. The foliage is blue in spring (T) and turns more blue-green in summer (B). through the winter but may turn brown in harsher winters.
Is fescue grass an evergreen?
Fescue is the only evergreen grass that will grow well in these areas. Tall Fescue is an evergreen grass that was introduced in the South for use in pastures. Its roots grow deeper in the soil than some of the other evergreen grasses, making it more resistant to periods of drought.
Is Elijah blue fescue evergreen?
The Elijah blue fescue is a partial evergreen, and it produces light green flowers in mid summer. During this time, the panicles tower above the foliage. Once the flowers are spent, they are displaced by buff-colored seed heads.
Does blue fescue stay blue in winter?
Consider removing flowers to keep a more rounded and colorful form but it is not essential. As an “evergreen” grass, blue fescue will maintain coloration well in to winter and then will regenerate in spring (see further down).
Does blue fescue go dormant?
High enough temperatures can cause the plant to go dormant, and some leaves may brown as it prepares for slowed growth. This is why, in some areas, the plant is known as a semi-evergreen. On the other hand, in winter, some blades may die back as it prepares for dormancy and provide insulation from the cold.
Is Festuca grass evergreen?
Festuca glauca is a compact, tidy ornamental grass. It's evergreen and is well known for its needle-like, silvery blue foliage and its neat, clump-forming habit. Likes full sun and well-drained soils. In June and July this grass produces blue-green flowers on spikes.
Should you cut back blue fescue?
In climates where blue fescue is evergreen, you don't need to cut them back in the spring. Everywhere else, the plants should be sheared back to a few inches from the ground to allow plenty of room for fresh new foliage to grow.
Do you cut back Festuca glauca?
Pruning it isn't required, because blue fescue quickly reaches its mature size, and simply keeping it in its natural shape is how it looks nicest.
How do you keep blue fescue blue?
Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca)Plant Feed. Not necessary.Watering. Allow soil to dry between thorough waterings.Soil. Ordinary, well-drained soil.Basic Care Summary. Tolerates poor soil, heat, and drought. Plant in ordinary, well-drained soil. Allow soil to dry between thorough waterings.
Does blue fescue need full sun?
Blue fescue thrives in full sunlight; it tolerates shade but will not flower as well in it.
What goes well with blue fescue?
Blue Flowers Blue daze or evolvulus (Evolvulus glomeratus) and blue-flowering edging or dwarf lobelia (Lobelia erinus) can be planted with blue fescue to complement its blue-gray foliage. They both grow in full sun or partial shade and require fast-draining soil.
Should blue fescue be cut back?
In climates where blue fescue is evergreen, you don't need to cut them back in the spring. Everywhere else, the plants should be sheared back to a few inches from the ground to allow plenty of room for fresh new foliage to grow.
Does blue fescue need pruning?
Caring for blue fescue Adaptive to soil types with a great diversity of compositions, blue fescue is hardy and fears practically no disease at all. Pruning it isn't required, because blue fescue quickly reaches its mature size, and simply keeping it in its natural shape is how it looks nicest.
What looks good with blue fescue?
Blue Flowers Blue daze or evolvulus (Evolvulus glomeratus) and blue-flowering edging or dwarf lobelia (Lobelia erinus) can be planted with blue fescue to complement its blue-gray foliage. They both grow in full sun or partial shade and require fast-draining soil.
Does Elijah blue fescue spread?
It is not. It is a clumping grass that does not spread. This means you don't need to worry about it taking over your landscape. Unlike some other plants, this blue fescue cultivar is tolerant of growing near toxin-producing black walnut trees (Juglans nigra, USDA zones 4-9).
What is a glauca?
F. glauca is a clump-forming ornamental grass noted for its glaucous, finely-textured, blue-gray foliage. The foliage forms a dome-shaped, porcupine-like tuft of erect to arching, needle-like 9-ribbed blades, radiating upward and outward to a length of 140–180 mm. Light green flowers with a purple tinge appear in terminal panicles atop stems rising above the foliage in late spring to early summer, but inflorescences are not very showy. Flowers give way to puffy wheat-like seed-heads.
How tall does a glauca grow?
In cultivation F. glauca can reach a height of 14–18 cm (6–7 in) (inflorescences typically bring total clump height to 20–25 cm (8–10 in)). It does best in well-drained soil as plants will not grow well in wet soils. It tolerates dry and low nutrient soils. Plant in a full sun for best foliage colour.
What is the name of the blue fescue plant?
Binomial name. Festuca glauca. Vill. Festuca glauca, commonly known as blue fescue, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, Poaceae. It is a commonly cultivated evergreen or semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial .
What is blue fescue?
Blue fescue ( Festuca ovina glauca ), also commonly called sheep fescue and sometimes mistakenly classified as F. cinerea, is a small semi-evergreen grass native to Europe. Grown as an ornamental for its attractive foliage color, it is hardy in zones 4-8. Fescues are cool season grasses so they look their best in spring and fall.
What is the most common fescue?
The most common cultivar of blue fescue, ‘Elijah Blue’ . There are a number cultivars of this species, although some are not widely available. ‘Elijah Blue’ is the most common one offered, although there are actually several strains marketed under this name which vary in the intensity and persistence of the blue color.
Is blue fescue a filler?
Blue fescue can be used as a specimen plant or in a mass planting and makes a good filler plant as it is not as showy as some other grasses. It can be grown in beds and borders mixed with herbaceous perennials, as an edging plant, Blue fescue in bloom.
Does blue fescue grow in full sun?
The blue color blends well with cool-colored flowers and softens brightly colored flowers. Blue fescue grows best in full sun, preferring moist, well-drained soil but is tolerant of a wide range of conditions. The blue color will not develop as well in partial shade, however.
How tall does blue fescue grow?
Aside from its foliage interest, Blue Fescue tolerates cold, heat, humidity, low water, poor soils and is deer resistant. Grows up to 9-12 in. tall (22-30 cm) and 18 in. wide (45 cm).
How long does it take for blue fescue to die?
This plant often looks best if the flowers are sheared off. Short-lived, Blue Fescue tends to die out in the center after 2-4 years.
What is the name of the blue fescue?
Other common names blue fescue 'Elijah Blue'. Family Poaceae. Genus Festuca can be herbaceous or evergreen, rhizomatous grasses with linear, often strikingly coloured, leaves, and dense or lax panicles of brownish flowers in summer.
Is Festuca evergreen or herbaceous?
Festuca can be herbaceous or evergreen, rhizomatous grasses with linear, often strikingly coloured, leaves, and dense or lax panicles of brownish flowers in summer
What is blue fescue grass?
Blue fescue grass ( Festuca glauca) is a colorful ornamental grass with icy blue foliage and pale yellow flowers. It is drought-tolerant and grows in USDA plant hardiness zones 4-8. Gardeners like its ease of care and its fine texture, which makes it a good companion plant for heavier or more dramatic plantings.
What is the color of fescue?
Blue Fescue Varieties. 'Elijah Blue' has light blue foliage and is the most popular cultivar. 'Golden Toupee' features chartreuse leaves. 'Boulder Blue' boasts a silver-blue hue. 'Blaufink' offers compact features and a fine texture. 'Tom Thumb' grows to be only about 4-inches tall.
What is the best way to feed blue fescue?
Compost applied around the plant as mulch provides all the feeding that blue fescue requires.
How to propagate blue fescue?
One of the best ways to propagate blue fescue is through division. (Blue fescue rarely lives past three to five years unless it is divided, so this is a must-do.) Pry the plant up out of the ground with a shovel or a garden trowel. Cut the clump in half, prying away any brown sections of each smaller clump.
How long does it take for blue fescue to die?
There are few pest and disease problems with blue fescue. Also, the plant will die within a few years if it is not lifted and divided.
Why does blue fescue die?
Gardeners in warm climates may experience a different problem with blue fescue: Above-ground growth may die back during the summer, due to excessive heat and humidity. When this happens, give the plant a "haircut" since its appearance is temporarily spoiled anyway.
What color is ornamental grass?
The more sun this ornamental grass receives, the more likely it is to achieve its famous blue-gray hue.
