Blue Grass......????

Blue Fescue

Festuca glauca

This has become one of my favorite ornamental plants, great when used as a specimen in rock gardens or nudged up against boulder in full sun placements. A couple of words of caution about this plant, it needs excellent drainage and NOT regular watering, water only as necessary to prevent total soil dryness. Blue fescue makes a very interesting clump planting in a hot, dry location. It is also good for a border or edge planting. It will take a small amount of shade, but it does prefer full sun and you will achieve a deeper blue in full sun.

Fertilization would be at a maximum of twice a year, with no more than a 3 -1-2 ratio fertilizer, water in well after fertilization. No need to prune this baby, just let it grow and take it's natural shape, it will bloom with buff colored spikes in early summer. In late winter or early spring cut back the die-off and get ready for a new year.

Try the cultivar "Elijah Blue" in the landscape and in your color pots for a unique and distinctive "blue" addition. Several cultivars of blue fescue will go as far as zone 3, so some of you Northern readers can use this great and very different plant in your landscape next year. The best planting time is early spring  and the second best is very early fall.