Blue Fescue

Festuca

Hardy zones 3 to 8 and tolerant of drought, heat, fire, hail, salt, wind & deer but requires well drained soil. Soil that is too rich or too wet causes weak growth. Prefers full sun to very light shade. They are deer resistant.
The Blue Fescue always look great towards the front of the border mixed with boulders and used with purples and reds. Clip off seed heads in mid summer for a more tidy appearance.

Festuca abbreviata
A very cute tiny turf of blue-green reaching only an inch in height.

Festuca alpina
Native to the European Alps; this tiny clump Fescue only reaches up to 8 x 8 inches with bright green foliage and slender light green inflorescences.

Festuca amethystina ( Tufted Fescue )
A cool season, dense, clumping grass, forming a mound up to 1 x 1 foot, that is native to Europe.
The foliage is blue-green.
The panicles of violet flowers appear on stalks up to 2 feet high, during early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in full sun on well drained soil. It does not enjoy hot humid summers. Cut back to 3 inches in height, during early spring.

* photo of unknown internet source


'Superb'
Moderate growing and forming a clump of very fine blue foliage reaching up to 2 x 2 feet topped with red stemmed tassels reaching up to 3 feet in height.

Festuca cinerea
'Blue Fox'
Forms a dense clump to 1 x 2 feet with excellent silvery blue-foliage.

'Select'
Clumps reach up to 20 x 24 inches in size with intense blue-gray foliage all year.

'Siskiyou Blue'
Forms a clump up to 2 x 2 feet with luminous light blue foliage.

Festuca elatior ( Meadow Fescue )
A rhizomatous, upright, perennial grass, reaching up to 4 feet in height, that is found in meadows in the wild. It is often planted for pastures and hay in the eastern U.S. The leaves are up to 24 x 0.3 inches in size.
The flower panicles are up to 12 ( rarely over 5 ) inches in length. They appear mid to late summer.

Festuca filiformis ( Fine Leaved Fescue )
Also called Festuca tenuifolia. A clump forming perennial grass, reaching up to 6 inches, with green foliage.
Makes an excellent groundcover.
Hardy zones 4 to 7

'Angel Hair'
Forms a foliage clump up to 4 inches high, that is topped by late spring flower plumes up to 10 inches high, that are green turning to bronze.

Festuca gigantea ( Giant Fescue )
Reaches up to 2 feet in height. Looks great massed in groups.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

Festuca glacialis
A very small clump grass native to the Pyrenees Mountains in France, that only reaches up to 8 x 12 inches with silvery-blue foliage and violet tinted inflorescences.

Festuca glauca ( Blue Fescue )
Native to Europe, the Blue Fescue forms a clump of very attractive, near evergreen powder blue foliage and is an excellent plant for the rock garden. It looks incredibly awesome planted with the Bagatelle Barberry, Red Blanket Flowers and Dragons Blood Sedum.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. Shear off seed heads after blooming.

* photo taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD

* photo taken on August 1 2010 in Leamington, Ontario

* photo taken on June 17 2011 in Howard County, MD



'Beyond Blue'
Forms a fast growing clump up to 1.1 x 2.3 feet in 2 years, which is its mature size.
Intensely silvery-blue foliage that retains its color well during summer. The leaves are up to 11 inches in length.
Hardy zones 4 to 8. It has superior heat and humidity tolerance.

* photo taken on Apr 26 2024 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Apr 22 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Blue Glow'
Reaches up to 10 inches with intense bright blue foliage.

'Boulder Blue'
Clumps are more upright and stiff than 'Elijah Blue' reaching up to 1 x 2 feet, with blue-silver foliage. The blooms are tan color.
Especially hardy in harsh climates, it is highly recommended in places such as Colorado but also good elsewhere.

'Elijah Blue'
The Bluest of all the Blue Fescue, is moderate growing, reaching up to 12 x 24 or very rarely to 18 x 33 inches with leaf blades up to 12 inches in lenght.
Hardier than most cultivars, north to zone 3.

* photo taken on July 30 2013 in Grand Bend, Ontario

* photo taken on Aug 2 2013 in Stratford, Ontario

* photo taken on Feb 8 2015 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on Oct 22 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Apr 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 29 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Sea Urchin'
Compact in habit reaching a maximum of 16 inches in height with metallic blue foliage.

'Superba'
Reaches up to 10 inches with excellent blue foliage.

Festuca mairei ( Maires Fescue )
Also called Mt. Atlas Fescus and is native to mountains of Morocco. It forms a stunning, fast growing, long-lived perennial grass, reaching a maximum size of 3 x 3 ( rarely over 2 ) feet with coarse luxuriant mid-green foliage.
A cool season grass, it grows most vigorously during spring and fall and is evergreen in mild climates.
The abundant, graceful, narrow flower spikes are borne during late spring.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun on well drained soil. Tolerant of clay and drought. Deer resistant.

* photos taken on Oct 11 2019 in Elkridge, MD

Festuca muelleri
Reaching up to 1.5 feet in height with grayish-olive, fine textured foliage.
Very similar to Festuca filiformis which is more green in color.
Hardy zone 4 to 7

Festuca scoparia ( Bear Skin Fescue )
Also called Festuca gautieri. A clump forming perennial grass, reaching up to 4 inches in height. Great both as groundcover and in the rock garden.
Hardy zones 4 to 6

Festuca valesiaca ( Volga Fescue )
A perennial grass that is native to Eurasia.

'Glaucantha'
Forms a foliage clump up to 4 inches high.
Hardy zones 4 to 7