Festuca californica, California Fescue

Scientific name: Festuca californica

Common name: California Fescue

A fast growing California Native perennial grass that should be planted in mass or used as a ground cover.  It grows up to four feet high and three feet wide.  The loose clumps of blue-green to blue-grey foliage are topped in late spring by flower spikes emerging green, aging to purple and maturing to deep yellow.  This plant produces a pollen that can produce an allergic reaction.

Care:

- Plant in full sun to part shade

- Tolerant of a wide variety of soil types

- Irrigate occasionally to infrequently

- Great companion plant under evergreen oaks

- Drought tolerant once established

- Attracts butterflies

- Deer resistant

- Fire resistant

- Great for erosion control and bank stabilization

- Hardy up to 10 degrees

- Native to California