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Grass Like

Festuca rubra subsp. commutata

Chewing's fescue

A densely tufted, perennial grass about 30cm or more tall, forming open clumps of fine, bristly, mid green, hair-like leaves often with red veins. Flower spikes to 30cm tall, are pale brown and produced in summer in clusters of spikelets. Often grown as a dense turf or lawn grass

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Tufted, Clump forming
Genus: Festuca can be herbaceous or evergreen, rhizomatous grasses with linear, often strikingly coloured, leaves, and dense or lax panicles of brownish flowers in summer
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. See ornamental grasses cultivation advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed from autumn to spring or by division of clumps in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Prairie planting
Wildflower meadow
Flower borders and beds
Ground cover

Pruning

Comb out dead foliage and trim damaged parts of older leaves in spring, for lawns, mow regularly when actively growing

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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