Native to southern France, it thrives in full sun, in poor, moderately fertile, well-drained soils, and typically grows in a compact mound up to 8-12 in. tall and wide (20-30 cm). A cool season grass, this Blue Fescue is noted as the most tolerant of hot, humid summers.

Where should I plant blue fescue?

Place blue fescue grass in clusters along a border as a bright accent to other perennials. The grass is also an attractive foil for wide, leafy plants and provides contrasting texture. Wherever you decide to put the plant, it must have well-drained moist soil in a full sun position for best growth.

Can blue fescue grow in shade?

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. It can be short-lived in wet soils and in areas with high humidity and temperatures.

How do you plant Festuca glauca?

Planting Instruction

Make sure that the planting area is moist and, if the grass is dry at the root, stand it in a bucket of water for 30 minutes. Plant at the same height as the plant was growing in the pot. Watering is the key to success, especially in the first year after planting.

Will blue fescue come back?

As dwarf blue fescue gets older, it appreciates dividing. Do so by digging up the plant in springtime, pulling it apart into smaller clumps and removing any dead patches that may have accumulated in the crown. Then replant these new clumps. Eventually they will grow into their own rounded plants.

How to use Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) in your garden!

19 related questions found

Do you cut back Festuca glauca?

Evergreen grasses, such as Festuca glauca, stay the same colour all year, although they can look untidy during winter. ... A In late winter (January or February) cut all the old stems back to ground level. Secateurs and hedge shears work well for this job.

How do you care for Festuca glauca?

Garden care: Comb through the plant with your fingers in winter to remove dead foliage. Container-grown specimens should be watered well when they are establishing. Plants may need replacing every few years as they may become tatty-looking.

How do you split Festuca glauca?

When you have the plant, use a knife or a similar tool do cut root sections, it will be easier than separate them with your fingers. Cut the divisions to get little plants having 4 to 5 stems. Do it gently otherwise you may separate the stems from the roots.

Is Festuca glauca perennial?

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. ... glauca is a fast-growing, true perennial, a member of the Poaceae family.

Is Festuca glauca toxic?

Is Festuca glauca poisonous? Festuca glauca has no toxic effects reported.

Is Festuca glauca Native to Australia?

F. glauca Vill. is a small tufted grass with fine leaves intensely blue-grey in colour owing to the 'bloom' on the surface. A native of Europe, it is often grown in rock gardens but flowers only rarely in N.S.W.

When can I transplant blue fescue?

Timing Propagation

"Elijah Blue" fescue declines rapidly after its first year, particularly in hot inland areas with very dry summers. It must be divided every two to three years to improve its appearance and refresh its root system. As a cool-season grass, fescue performs best when divided in spring or autumn.

Is Festuca glauca intense blue evergreen?

'Intense Blue' _ 'Intense Blue' is a compact, dense, mound-forming, evergreen perennial grass with linear, blue-grey leaves and, in summer, erect stems bearing dense, narrow, blue-green flower spikelets maturing pale brown.

How far apart do you plant blue fescue?

For outdoors sowing, weed and loosen the soil and add a generous amount of seed starting mix to the soil. Space the Blue Fescue grass seeds about 12 inches apart.

How do you prune blue fescue?

Cut Blue Fescue Grasses

Measure 3 to 4 inches along the grass stems from the ground. Cut small amounts of the plant as you go. Remove dead, broken or damaged foliage from the blue fescue plant at any time of the year to reduce stress on the plant. Prune blue fescue with clippers instead of pruning shears.

What goes well with blue fescue?

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.

How do you plant Festuca?

Dig a hole in your lawn area or flower garden the same depth as the fescue's root system. Place the grass in the hole and fill in the soil around it. Pack the soil down around the grass stems with your hands. Plant clumps 8 to 12 inches apart for a ground cover in the lawn or as ornamentals in flowerbeds.

What happens if you don't Cut back ornamental grasses?

What Happens If You Don't Cut Back the Ornamental Grasses? As mentioned above, you will find that the green is starting to grow through the brown. One problem that will create is that the brown will start creating seeds. Once grass has created seeds, there is a very good chance that the grass will die out.

Can you split Carex grass?

Suitable for... Grasses from cool climates (such as Carex, Calamagrostis, Chasmanthium, Deschampsia, Festuca, Hakonechloa, Helictotrichon, Molinia and Stipa) require frequent division, perhaps every three years, to prevent root congestion and loss of vigour.

How do you keep Elijah Blue?

If you decide to maintain your Elijah Blue, shear the plants in late winter. Do not cut them back during hot weather because the browned blades provide insulation against the heat. If you have bad soil, lightly fertilize the plants after grooming.

How do you grow Festuca glauca Elijah Blue?

How to Plant Elijah Blue Fescue

1. Plant "Elijah Blue" fescue in average, well-draining soil. ...
2. Prepare for planting by digging the soil to a depth of at least 8 to 10 inches. ...
3. Dig a balanced, 10-10-10 fertilizer into the soil at planting time, using 1 to 2 pounds of dry fertilizer for every 100 square feet of planting space.

Does blue fescue need to 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. Blue fescue can be a fairly short-lived perennial.

How long does Festuca glauca last?

Blue fescue clumps have an average lifespan of about four years. You can propagate them after that to keep the center lush and green, since older clumps tend to grow sparse in there. If you aim to cover a field or area, simply let your blue fescue go to seed and it would spread from seed.

Should I cut back Stipa Tenuissima?

With some evergreens like this Anemanthele lessoniana (also known as Stipa arundinacea), they can get relatively strawy on top after a few seasons and can be cut back, but this must be done when the plant is actively growing in spring or early summer.

Should I cut ornamental grass in winter?

Cut back warm-season grasses in fall or by mid to late spring. Warm-season grasses turn shades of brown as the weather turns colder. ... Not all ornamental grasses look good through the winter, trim back those that don't look good in the fall.