Monday, March 3, 2014

Blue Fescue

landscaping idea
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

* 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 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



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


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, 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.

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

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