Festuca mairei

RHS Plant Profile
Atlas fescue

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An ornamental, clump-forming grass, forming large, neat, rounded mounds of foliage, to 75cm tall, evergreen in milder areas, with very fine grey-green leaves. From early summer it bears narrow, bristly grey-green flower plumes that turn golden-brown

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Poaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen, Evergreen
Habit
Clump forming
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
Unresolved
Plant Range
Morocco

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Clumps tend to die out in the middle, so ideally divide every three years. See ornamental grasses cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in pots in a cold frame in spring or by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Low Maintenance
  • Bedding
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Garden edging

Pruning

Comb out dead foliage and trim damaged parts of older leaves in spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free