Flowers give way to buffy seed heads which some gardeners find attractive but others find detractive to both the symmetry of the plant and the foliage color. Light green flowers with a purple tinge appear in terminal panicles atop stems rising above the foliage in late spring to early summer, but inflorescences are not very showy. Foliage forms a dome-shaped, porcupine-like tuft of erect to arching, needle-like blades radiating upward and outward to a height of 6-8' (inflorescences typically bring total clump height to 10-14'). Does equally well as a formal edging plant or in a mass for groundcover effect.Festuca glauca, commonly called blue fescue, is a short-lived, low-growing, semi-evergreen, clump-forming ornamental grass noted for its glaucous, finely-textured, blue-gray foliage. Most often planted near rock gardens, around landscape boulders and in dry streambeds. Its silver-blue coloring and fine texture is appreciated in both Asian gardens and the drought-resistant landscape. Design Ideas: Blue Fescue is the best small ornamental grass.Garden style: Asian/Zen, Mediterranean, Rustic, Xeric.Special features: Clump Forming, Dense Habit, Dramatic Foliage Color, Easy Care, Extreme Cold Hardiness, Tolerates Poor Soils, Waterwise, Fast Growing, Tolerates Urban Pollution.Average landscape size: Quickly reaches 8 to 12 in.Botanical Pronunciation: fes-TEW-kuh GLAW-kuh.Watering Needs: Water regularly – weekly, or more often in extreme heat.Before any new growth emerges from the ground, pruning should be done in the late winter or early spring. However, it is a great idea to cut all the stems down to a few inches from the ground. In the winter, you can leave Beyond Blue’s foliage for the season. For those dry climates, you need to keep the roots moist. If your Beyond Blue fescue is growing in a container, you must continue to water this plant regularly. Once the plant has matured, it does not require much moisture. It needs to be watered on a regular basis until it has established. If you suffer from poor drainage, then you might want to create an 18-inch planting mound for this grass.ĭuring Beyond Blue’s first year, you want to pay attention to its watering schedule. You do not want to plant this grass in areas that hold large amounts of water. These ornamental grasses do prefer dry to medium soils. However, the Beyond Blue can survive in some partial shady spots, but the color will not be as vibrant. For a richer color, the Beyond Blue requires abundant sun. If you are planting this fescue in your landscape, it needs at least six hours of sunlight per day. The Beyond Blue fescue can thrive in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8. Since the Beyond Blue does not need supplemental watering, you should think about adding this fescue to a rock garden or xeriscape. For those sunny areas, this fescue shines in the brilliant sunshine throughout your outdoor spaces. A new mulched bed of shrubs and evergreens can benefit from the addition of the Beyond Blue. The metallic blue blades stand out with this fescue. You can see how this blue fescue grass makes a tremendous impression on those expansive spaces. When planted in a checkerboard pattern, you can give your landscape some added style. If you want to create a visually stunning landscape, make sure to fill those bare areas with the Beyond Blue. This fescue grass is an ideal option for a groundcover application. The Beyond Blue maintains its color and shape all year. You need to watch out for weeds until the grasses grow together. Mulch should be added to those newly installed plants.

To make a lush mass planting, you want to space the Beyond Blue fescues about 12 inches apart from the center of each plant. When you use them along a path, these fescues can create a sophisticated walkway. You can plant the Beyond Blue fescue in a long row to form a soft edge for a garden bed. However, these plants are not indoor plants. You can also use several containers to define the border of a balcony or patio. If you have a modest outdoor container garden, you may want to add a single Beyond Blue fescue to a pot. The Beyond Blue Fescue makes an impressive visual impact on any space, especially those smaller gardens.

Festuca glauca beyond blue