Festuca idahoensis

Plant Characteristics

Habit		grass
Height:	⇕	15 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Width:	⇔	12 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 12.
Bloom:	❀	early summer, mid summer, late summer

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun, part-sun
Features:	✓	flowers
USDA Zones:		3 to 8
Flower features:	❀	white

Scientific Names

Poaceae >

Festuca >

idahoensis >

Festuca idahoensis is a species of grass known by the common names Idaho fescue and blue bunchgrass. It is native to western North America, where it is widespread and common. It can be found in many ecosystems, from shady forests to open plains grasslands.

This fescue is a densely-clumping long-lived perennial grass with stems from about 30 to 80 centimeters in height. The stiff, short, rolling leaves are mostly located near the base of the tuft. The inflorescence has hairy spikelets which produce large awned fruits. The root system is thick and penetrates deeply into the soil. The roots have symbiotic mycorrhizae. There are no rhizomes; the plant reproduces from seeds and from budding with tillers.

This is a nutritious and preferred forage grass for wild and domestic animals. Typical native grass associates in the far west coastal prairies are Danthonia californica, Deschampsia caespitosa and Nassella pulchra.

Cultivars, such as "Siskiyou Blue," are produced in the horticulture industry for landscape design and garden use.

Gallery

• 

  photo 1

• 

  photo 2

• 

  photo 3

External links

• w:Festuca idahoensis. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Festuca idahoensis QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)