depressed fescue , a compact and drought - tolerant cosmetic forage , work in many garden preferences and bet beautiful year - round .
Martin Tessler
A rightfully versatile recurrent grass , blue fescue(Festuca glauca)has an eye - catch blue hue that last all year . With its clump - forming substance abuse , blasphemous fescue grass class undifferentiated balls of foliage topped with feathery shuck flower stalks in the summer . It can be used as an accent works in mass planting , containers , and crevices . Blue fescue is also drought broad , making it agreat pick for rock gardens .
Credit:Martin Tessler
Some bluish meadow fescue species can be toxic to pet . Non - toxic variety include outflow grass , spicy fescue , tufted hairgrass , and switchgrass .
Where to Plant Blue Fescue
Blue Festuca elatior is a lowly ornamental skunk that grow as a perennial in Zones 4 - 8 , where it brings vivacious grim color to garden seam and boundary line . It does n’t go dormant , so it is desirable anywhere the nursing home gardener wantswinter colorin all but the most frigid sphere . It is drouth - tolerant , making it a good selection for home nurseryman who live in desiccate region .
With its summary substance abuse and blue foliage , blasphemous fescue grass work well in many options . The classic blue color of the leafage punctuate most colors and makes a calming command in a mass planting . risque fescue ’s uniform wont adds texture and color when used in interracial container . It stays in bound and does not propagate , so it works well as anedging plant .
If you plan on using these plants in multitude , plant the same multifariousness to maintain uniform foliage color .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
How and When to Plant Blue Fescue
Plant blue Festuca elatior seeded player in early spring or late summertime but well before freezing temperature arrive . Loosen the soil and addseed - starting intermixture . Sprinkle the seeds sparingly on top of the soil mixture and continue only lightly . After they germinate , thin the seedlings to 12 inches apart .
To plant dismal fescue grass plants from a glasshouse , dig a hole that is as wide-cut as the root ball of the plant . Locate it in a sunny spot with well - draining soil and add a granularslow - release balanced fertilizerbefore settling the plant in the yap at the same tier it was in the container . Keep the dirt moist , not wet .
Blue Fescue Care Tips
Keeping these plants happy is a reasonably easy chore .
Light
Planting blue fescuein full sunwill help the industrial plant achieve its classifiable bright blueish vividness . In partial Dominicus , leave tend to be more on the light-green side .
Soil and Water
Thanks to its drouth tolerance , blue fescue grass works well in rock music garden in average garden dirt . Ideally , these works likewell - run out and evenly moist soilsfor their blue color , so plant accordingly and piss consistently . They also appreciate supplemental tearing while establishing themselves .
Temperature and Humidity
It ’s important to think that juicy fescue is a cool - season eatage ; in warmer climates , there ’s a probability that plants will buy the farm back and go dormant through the hotness of the summer . If they do , you cancut the foliage backand look . blueish meadow fescue does most of its growing in the outpouring and tumble , so once the weather starts to cool off again , the works will develop brilliant , new growth . you’re able to put the plants in part Dominicus in warmer climates to keep them cooler and preclude summer quiescence .
dingy fescue is kind of salt spray during the wintertime weather .
Fertilizer
When blue meadow fescue plants are beleaguer by anorganic mulch , such as compostor barque mulch , no extra fertiliser is needed .
Pruning
Keep the plants wait tidy bydeadheading the flower headsand removing bushed blades of the grass . In the bound , the plant should be sheared back to a few inches from the earth to allow spate of room for unused novel foliage to grow .
Pests and Problems
Blue meadow fescue plants canattract aphid . A blow of weewee can get rid of a belittled infestation . Otherwise , treat the plants with insecticidal grievous bodily harm or horticultural oil , following the instruction on the recording label .
How to Propagate Blue Fescue
unluckily , blasphemous meadow fescue is a comparatively curtly - experience perennial . you may ease thisby on a regular basis part the plants . comprehend them up and cut them into smaller firearm , check each has a good amount of foliage and root . Replant new sections at the same depth as the original specimen . Division prevents plants from dying out in the center and looking unsightly .
blue-blooded meadow fescue can also be propagated by seed , but the color and character of the gamey foliage may vary . Researchers have create seedling selection with a more robust , bolder blue color and these seminal fluid excerpt are available today in commercial blue fescue grass kind . Along with color developing , researchers are influence to make change of blue fescue that are more heat tolerant .
Types of Blue Fescue
‘Elijah Blue’ Blue Fescue
Festuca glauca’Elijah Blue ' mould a compact 8- to 10 - inch - tall tuft of fine bluish - unripened leaves . Zones 4 - 8
‘Sea Urchin’ Blue Fescue
Festuca glauca’Sea Urchin ' is also sometimes listed by its official name , ' Seeigel ' . It forms a dim 10 - in - tall cumulus . Zones 4 - 8
Blue Fescue Companion Plants
Dianthus
The quintessential bungalow prime , Dianthus , also called pink , is treasure for its grasslike blue - dark-green leaf and abundant starry flowers , which are often spicily fragrant . depend on the type of pink , flowers come out in springiness or summertime and tend to be pink , red , snowy , rose , or lavender — well-nigh all shades except truthful blue . plant crop from tinycreeping groundcoversto 30 - in - tall cut flowers , which are a favorite with florists .
Blanket Flower
Blanket flowersare terrifically cheerful , long - blossom plants for raging , gay gardens . They produce unmarried or forked daisy flowers through most of the summertime and well into surrender . The wanton brick red efflorescence are tipped with yellow . Blanket flower suffer light hoarfrost , and deer rarely consume them . Deadhead the flowers to keep them blooming consistently through the summertime and capitulation . Some species lean to be short - lived , especially if the soil is not well - debilitate .
Shrub Rose
Shrub rose take the best of the hardiest rose species and aggregate those traits with modernistic repeat bloom and diverse blossom forms , colors , and fragrances . Someshrub rosesmay uprise tall with vigorous , far - reaching cane ; others stay compact . Recent rose breeding has focused on developing hardier bush roses for landscaping that require little to no maintenance .
Garden Plans for Blue Fescue
Butterfly Garden Plan
Create a lucullan island butterfly stroke garden bed of blossom that will bring beautiful fluttering louse to your garden .
Soften a Fence With This Lush Border Garden Plan
The exciting plants in this design will provide long - last color , fragrance , and texture that will leave you saying , " What fence ? "
Drought-Tolerant Garden Plan
This informal mixed garden bed sport drought - tolerant trees , evergreen shrubs , perennials , and yearbook .
Frequently Asked Questions
No . profane fescue plants form attractive clumps that do n’t spread , and they maintain this form year - circular . Occasionally , the plant may die back in the center due to heavy soil or hot temperatures .
This coolheaded - time of year grass reckon its better in spring and downslope . The plant turn a darker blue angel - green in late twilight and keep up this refinement in areas with meek winters . In areas with coarse winter , the forage may work brown , but it remains upright , adding winter interest .
Fescue Poisoning in Animals . Merck Veterinary Manual
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Justin Hancock
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
