idaho fescue
Festuca idahoensis
USDA zones4 to 8
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to moderate soil
Size12 to 24 inches tall
- Habit
- Grass/grass-like
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Yellow
- Foliage color
- Gray-green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) is a grass for borders, ground cover, and meadows. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to average, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. It grows in large tufts of narrow gray-green leaves and works well for erosion control. It is not a favorite of deer, though hungry deer will eat almost anything. Give seedlings time, since they become strongly competitive once mature.
Pairs well with Prairie flax, Fireweed, and California brittlebush.
Native range
AZ, CA, CO, ID, and 9 more places. See all 13
AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY; AB, and BC.