'Cool as Ice' Blue Fescue (Festuca)
Perennial
- Blue foliage with a compact habit.
- Better heat tolerance than other Fescues!
- Plant in groupings for a showy effect.
- Zones 4-8, sun/part sun, 12" tall x 12" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Common name: Blue fescue
Patent: PP27651
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 12" x 12"
Flower color: Light beige
Foliage color: Steel-blue
Season of interest: Spring through fall
Bloom time: Summer
Features: Space savers, rain gardens, rabbit resistant, ground covers, drought tolerant, container plants, cold tolerant, best sellers, best for beginners
Uses: Container gardening, cottage gardening, edging, ground cover, massing, ornamental
How to Grow
Light: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun), but the best colors develop with more sun.
Water: It prefers average to dry locations and dislikes excessive moisture.
Spacing: 18 inches
Fertilizing: We don't recommend fertilizing them their first spring to promote root development. It can be fertilized subsequent years in early spring with balanced fertilizer but is generally unnecessary.
Winterizing: No specific care is needed—no need to cut back for winter.
Maintenance & pruning: "Rake out" with rake or fingers all spent foliage in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Division should be done in spring every few years to keep Festuca at its best.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.