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 fertilewell-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 coverrock 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

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