Festuca 'Elijah Blue'

Festuca 'Elijah Blue': Powder-Blue Tufts That Keep the Peace

Pale powder-blue blades in a tidy, rounded clump, like a pincushion that got very into self-care. This fescue sits pretty, asks for nothing and makes every plant beside it look more sophisticated. THE CLASSIC BLUE EVERYBODY COPIES.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'
• Common Name: Blue Fescue
• Height: 20–30 cm (8–12 in)
• Spread: 20–30 cm (8–12 in)
• Flowers: Slim tan spikes held just above the foliage
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (June to July)
• Foliage: Fine, needle-like, pale powder-blue blades in a dense, rounded clump. Evergreen in mild winters.

Where to Plant: Use it to edge beds and walkways, dot it through a rock garden, or mass it as a cool-toned groundcover, and it makes a great filler for containers and troughs. It suits gravel gardens, dry slopes and sunny front gardens where the soil drains fast.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Elijah Blue' along the front of a sunny, dry bed with raspberry, fuchsia and mahogany. Lewisia 'Little Raspberry' tucks in at 15 cm with raspberry flowers in May and June. Dianthus 'Paint the Town Fancy' adds rosy fuchsia pinks at 15 to 20 cm from June to September. Gaura Rosyjane brings pink-edged white flowers at 60 to 75 cm from June to September. Baptisia 'Honey Roasted' adds mahogany and yellow spikes at 90 to 105 cm in June and July.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to sandy, well-drained soil. Good drainage is the key, since soggy winter soil is the most common reason blue fescues fail. In heavy clay, raise the planting spot or mix in grit. Water regularly through the first season, then only during extended drought. Like all fescues, it's a cool-season grass. It grows most in spring and fall and can look a little tired in the peak of summer heat. That's normal. Comb out dead blades in early spring, or cut the clump back to the base in late winter if winter has left it scruffy. Remove the flower spikes after they fade for the cleanest look. Divide every two to three years to keep the clump full in the centre.

History: 'Elijah Blue' was selected at The Plantage, a nursery on Elijah's Lane in Mattituck, New York, which is where the name comes from. The species, Festuca glauca, is native to dry, rocky ground in southern Europe, and its name refers to the blue-grey bloom on its leaves.

Final Thoughts: Plant a few at the front of a sunny bed and let the deer walk on by. SMALL CLUMP, SERIOUS CURB APPEAL.