Leaf
Plenuska, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Blue fescue
Festuca glauca Vill.
Also known as: Glaucous fescue
Family: Poaceae
15 to 25 cm tall
Grown in borders, rock gardens and beds, poor, well-drained soils
Flowering: June – July
Full sun
Very hardy, to about -20°C, dislikes stagnant moisture
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The characteristic silvery-blue colour of blue fescue comes from a fine waxy bloom covering its thread-like leaves, a coating that reflects light and helps the plant limit evaporation in full sun.
🍃 Leaves
Very fine, thread-like, silvery blue, forming a compact ball-shaped tuft
🌸 Flowers
Small, inconspicuous spikes standing slightly above the foliage
🍎 Fruits
Small caryopsis
🪵 Bark
Compact, dense herbaceous tuft
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Europe, including some French populations; widely grown as an ornamental grass
🐝 Value for pollinators
Wind-pollinated, of little interest to pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Small ornamental grass with a compact tuft, planted at the edge of borders and in rock gardens for its silvery-blue foliage all year round
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable known toxicity
🌿 Other Poaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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