Festuca ovina

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Ruig schapengras plant (Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula).jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   grass

Height: 24 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 24.
Width: 16 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 16.
Bloom: early summer, mid summer, late summer
Cultivation
Exposure: sun, part-sun
Features: flowers
USDA Zones: 5 to 9
Flower features: blue
Scientific Names

Poaceae >

Festuca >

ovina >


Sheep's Fescue or Sheep Fescue (Festuca ovina) is a species of grass.

It is a perennial plant sometimes found in acidic bogs, for example in the Portlethen Moss, Scotland and mountain pasture, throughout Europe (with the exception of some Mediterranean areas) and eastwards across much of Asia; it has also been introduced to North America [1].

It is sometimes used as a drought-tolerant lawn grass.[2]

Sheep's fescue is a densely tufted perennial grass. Its greyish green leaves are short and bristle-like. The panicles are both slightly feathery and a bit one-sided. It flowers from May until June, and is wind pollinated.

This is one of the food plants for the caterpillars of several butterflies and moths, including the Gatekeeper and the Meadow Brown, the Small Heath, and the grass moth Agriphila inquinatella.

Sheep's fescue is a drought-resistant grass, commonly found on poor, well-drained mineral soil. More colourful garden varieties with blue-grey foliage are available.

The Gatekeeper Butterfly feeds on it.


Read about Festuca ovina in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Festuca ovina, Linn. Sheep's Fescue. Six to 20 in.: panicle contracted after flowering, 2-4 in. long. Eu.—Sown in mixtures for pastures. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


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