About
An evergreen grass which forms dense tufts of thin, blue-green, in-rolled leaves up to 25cm long. The flower stems grow above the foliage in summer, ending in small, green flower spikes with a pink-purple tint, turning buff as the seeds ripen.
About the 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
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, East-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeGrass Like
HabitTufted
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Rock garden, Gravel garden
Native toEurope
Care notes
CultivationGrow in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; see also ornamental grasses cultivation
PruningNo pruning required. Comb out dead foliage in early spring
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to a rust