Grass · Poaceae family
blue fescue
Festuca glauca
In short a 10-second read
Blue fescue (grass) grows to 0.15–0.3 m tall and 0.3–0.45 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to part shade, in dry to average soil. Hardy to −32 °C.
× spread 0.3–0.45 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to part shade, in dry to average soil. Hardy to −32 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
dry to average · watering: little
Soil: sandy, gravelly, loamy
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 2–5 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Pruning
No pruning needed — just remove dead or damaged parts (March–April).
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–October
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −32 °C
- Evergreen — green in winter too
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
spring crocus
0.08–0.15 m
bloody cranesbill
0.2–0.5 m
coralbells
0.3–0.45 mReady-made Studio combinations that include blue fescue
Purple lavender and salvia over silver fescue, with pink sedum in…
Clipped lavender and wall germander with grey fescue — a neat edge…
Tough perennials that cope with drought and a forgotten watering,…
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
Does blue fescue tolerate shade?
It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.
How much space does blue fescue need?
At maturity 0.3–0.45 m wide and 0.15–0.3 m tall; recommended spacing 25 cm.
Does blue fescue survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
Where the data comes from
The data is indicative — we are still comparing it with further sources. Last checked 28 September 2026.
Show sources (11)
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- RHS Plant Finder
- University of Wisconsin Horticulture Extension
- Chicago Botanic Garden Plant Finder
- EPPO Global Database
- Bamberger Staudengarten (Strobler), katalóg
- Gärtnerei Strickler, katalóg
- Foerster-Stauden, katalóg
- Sarastro Stauden, katalóg
- Iowa State Extension - How to Plant Perennials
- RHS - How to grow ornamental grasses
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