Botanical Name: Festuca cinerea 'Elijah Blue'
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Common Name: Elijah Blue Fescue  
Plant photo of: Festuca cinerea 'Elijah Blue'
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Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Ground cover, Perennial, Grass

 

Height Range

Under 1'

 

Flower Color

White

 

Flower Season

Summer

 

Leaf Color

Blue Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Low

 

Growth Rate

Fast

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Meadow, Mediterranean, Ranch, Native Garden, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Entry, Perennial Border, Parking Strip, Park, Parking Lot, Walkways, With Rocks

 

Special Uses

Container, Filler, Mass Planting, Lawn Alternative, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer:

  • Description

  • Notes

The icy-blue coloration of this little grass makes it a stand-out in the garden. Its evergreen, clumping habit make it well suited for edging borders, mass planting, or ground cover. Grows in full sun to part shade. Generally under 12 inches, even in flower. Soft tufts of greenish white flowers emerge in early summer and turn tawny by summers end. Excellent for parkstrips.
Generally does not require cutting back, but a gentle raking in the early spring can dislodge old growth. Fescues resent wet soils so take care to not over-water; when planting, set the plant so the crown is slightly above soil grade to give it a good start (see Guides). It has a parkstrip area value of .75 feet.