Festuca glauca Elijah Blue (Blue Fescue)
One of the best and most colorful of all Blue Fescue varieties, Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ is a wonderful dwarf ornamental grass, mostly grown for its superb, evergreen, bright silver-blue foliage. Densely tufted, the foliage of finely-textured, blade-like needles forms a neat mound topped by upright flower plumes in summer.
One of the best and most colorful of all Blue Fescue varieties, Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' is a wonderful dwarf ornamental grass, mostly grown for its superb, evergreen, bright silver-blue foliage. Densely tufted, the foliage of finely-textured, blade-like needles forms a neat mound topped by upright flower plumes in summer. At first, the flowers are colored like the foliage before maturing to light tan. Stunning when massed as a ground cover, Blue Fescue adds a superb color accent to the landscape all year around.
- Aside from its foliage interest, this Blue Fescue is drought tolerant, once established, and requires low maintenance and low watering.
- 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.
- Deer resistant!
- A great candidate for borders, edging, in mass planting as a ground cover, rock gardens, cottage gardens, city gardens or containers.
- This plant often looks best if the flowers are sheared off.
- Short-lived, Blue Fescue tends to die out in the center after 2-4 years. Shearing your plant in late winter often contributes to extend its life and promotes a neater appearance.
- Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring
Requirements
Hardiness | 4 – 11 |
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Heat Zones | 1 – 8 |
Climate Zones | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Ornamental Grasses |
Plant Family | Festuca – Fescues |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid,Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter |
Height | 8" – 1' (20cm – 30cm) |
Spread | 8" – 1' (20cm – 30cm) |
Spacing | 10″ – 12″ (25cm – 30cm) |
Water Needs | Low |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Edging, Patio and Containers |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden |