1. * Idaho Fescue – Festuca idahoensis (fes-TOO-kuh eye-duh-hoe-EN-sis)
Family: Poaceae (Grass Family)
Native to: Common western grass; widely distributed in northwestern Northern America. In CA,
foothills of the northern Sierras, central and northern Coastal Ranges; dry, open or shady places
often opening in woodlands.
Growth characteristics: perennial bunchgrass mature height: 1 ft. mature width: 1-2 ft.
Cool-season perennial bunchgrass with fine, blue-green foliage. Evergreen with some summer
water. May behave more like a slow-growing sod-former in optimal conditions. Very attractive.
Blooms/fruits: Blooms in late spring/early summer. Flowers on tall stems above the foliage.
Flowers small, but seed heads very showy, particularly when massed.
Uses in the garden: Usually used as an ornamental grass grown primarily for its foliage. Great
ground cover for erosion control, including on slopes. Can be used as a native meadow and even as
a mowed lawn. Tolerates some foot traffic. Good ground cover under trees, in orchards.
Cultivars: ‘Tomales Bay’ (small; blue); ‘Stony Creek’ (Blue); ‘Siskiyou Blue’ (dense foliage; blue);
‘Warren Peak’ (taller; silver-green leaves; light flower stems).
Sensible substitute for: Non-native fescues and other invasive ornamental grasses.
Attracts: Bird habitat: provides nesting materials and seeds. Larval food for Skipper butterflies.
Requirements:
Element Requirement
Sun Best in part-shade (dappled shade ideal); full sun only in cool gardens.
Soil Any well-drained soil, but does particularly well in sandy soils; any local pH.
Water Very adaptable once established. Zone 1-2 (will turn golden) to Zone 2-3 (to keep
it green in summer); quite drought tolerant.
Fertilizer Quite tolerant; needs none/rare light fertilizer
Other
Management: Easy to manage once established. Plant from seed or pugs (probably better).
Plant densely (8-10 in. apart) for good cover. Can mow several times during growing season to 4
inches tall. If left un-mowed, rake lightly with rake in fall to remove dead leaves as needed.
Propagation: from seed: may need cold treatment by divisions: easy
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 21 1/31/11
* California native, but not native to western Los Angeles County © Project SOUND