Sesleria 'Blue-Green Moor Grass'

Sesleria caerulea: Cool Contrast and Evergreen Calm

Elegant and low growing, Sesleria caerulea, or Blue-Green Moor Grass, offers a distinctive blend of powdery blue and fresh green tones that stay vibrant year-round. Its fine, upright blades form compact, fountain-like tufts that maintain their form through every season. In spring, silvery flower spikes emerge on short stems, adding a soft, vertical accent above the tidy clumps. With its evergreen habit, tidy appearance, and subtle texture, this grass lends an air of calm sophistication to both formal and naturalistic plantings.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 25–35 cm (in flower)
• Spread: 30–40 cm
• Flower Colour: Silvery-grey aging to buff
• Flowering Period: Spring to early summer
• Foliage: Fine blue-green blades; evergreen
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun to part shade
• Soil Requirements: Well-drained, moderately dry to average soils

Uses and Benefits: Blue-Green Moor Grass is perfect for edging, massing, and underplanting in mixed perennial beds, gravel gardens, or minimalist schemes. Its evergreen colour provides year-round interest and pairs beautifully with silver, white, and soft yellow companions. Tough, deer resistant, and drought tolerant once established, it’s a refined choice for low-maintenance plantings that value texture and tone over flash.

Companion Plants: Pair Sesleria caerulea with Achillea 'Moonshine' for lemon-yellow umbels that brighten its cool foliage. Add Geranium sanguineum 'Album' for soft white flowers and a spreading, ground-hugging habit. Finish the trio with Liatris spicata 'Floristan White', whose clean, vertical white spikes complement the grass’s spring blooms and tidy form.

Care Instructions: Plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil. Water regularly during the first growing season; established plants are drought tolerant. Trim back old flower stems and any winter-worn foliage in early spring to refresh the clump. Divide every 3–4 years to maintain vigour and appearance.

History: Native to upland meadows and limestone slopes in Central and Southern Europe, Sesleria caerulea has long been appreciated in European gardens for its compact size, evergreen habit, and refined palette. It is a staple in naturalistic and alpine-style plantings.

Final Thoughts: Understated yet enduring, Sesleria caerulea is a master of subtle contrast—bringing cool poise, structure, and timeless texture to the garden in every season.