Festuca amethystina
tufted fescue
A grass which forms dense evergreen tufts with thin, blue-green, in-rolled leaves up to 25cm long. The flower stems grow above the foliage in summer ending in small, green flower spikes with a pink-purple tint, turning buff as the seeds ripen
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Blue Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Purple | Blue Green | ||
| Autumn | Blue Green | |||
| Winter | Blue Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Poaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Tufted
- Genus
Festuca can be herbaceous or evergreen, rhizomatous grasses with linear, often strikingly coloured, leaves, and dense or lax panicles of brownish flowers in summer
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Europe
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; see also ornamental grasses cultivation. Good for gravel gardens
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Rock garden
- Low Maintenance
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Comb out dead foliage in early spring
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be affected by a rust
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.