Pepindale Blue Fescue: Festuca glauca ‘Pepindale Blue’

Description

Small, tidy mounds that maintain color year-round.

F. glauca is a perennial clump-forming ornamental grass noted for its glaucous, finely-textured, blue-gray foliage. The foliage forms a dome-shaped, porcupine-like tuft of erect to arching, needle-like 9-ribbed blades, radiating upward and outward to a length of 140–180 mm. 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. Flowers give way to puffy wheat-like seed-heads.

In cultivation, F. glauca can reach a height of 14–18 cm (6–7 in) (inflorescences typically bring total clump height to 20–25 cm (8–10 in)). It does best in well-draining soil, as plants will not grow well in wet soils. It tolerates dry and low-nutrient soils. Plant in full sun for the best foliage colour. It will also grow in a lightly shaded position. Will tolerate drought, neglect, and lack of nutrients but prefers regular watering. If the plant has a large amount of dead leaves, prune back to 40mm from ground level. This is to be done in winter. Lift and divide clumps if needed (also to be done in winter). Division of established clumps in winter is the easiest method, although plants can also be grown from seed.

Plants require frequent division as clumps tend to die out in the center and need to be divided, replanted, or replaced every 2–3 years. Plant foliage may decline considerably in very hot, humid summers. Weeds often build up amongst the clumps when used as groundcover and need to be removed by hand.

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