Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis), also known as Blue Bunchgrass, is an elegant, long-lived perennial bunchgrass native to western North America. This modest-sized, cool-season grass forms dense clumps of very narrow, often striking blue- to gray-green leaves. Its flower stalks can reach twice the height of the leaves, bearing flowers in narrow clusters on stiff stalks.

Idaho Fescue is drought-tolerant and excellent for erosion control, thriving in a range of conditions from shady forests to open grasslands. It is a valuable native forage grass despite its rough leaves. In California, it flourishes in the Sierra foothills and Coast Ranges, where its deep root system helps it withstand dry conditions and supports beneficial soil fungi.

This versatile grass is an excellent choice for planting under oaks and complements ferns, Heuchera, and hummingbird sage beautifully. It provides valuable forage for wildlife and adds texture and color contrast to the landscape. It can also serve as a groundcover, providing habitat for small animals and insects.

Key Features:

• Striking Foliage: Features narrow, often blue- to gray-green leaves that form elegant tufts.
• Drought-Tolerant & Resilient: Thrives in dry conditions thanks to its deep root system.
• Erosion Control: Excellent for stabilizing soil.
• Wildlife Forage & Habitat: Provides valuable food for wildlife and offers groundcover habitat for small animals and insects.
• Host Plant: Supports the caterpillars of the Sonora Skipper butterfly (Polites sonora)
• Versatile Use: Ideal for planting under oaks, pairing with other native plants, or naturalized areas.
• Pollinator-Safe: Grown non-GMO and free of harmful neonicotinoids, promoting a healthy ecosystem for pollinators and wildlife.

Available in sets of three, six, or 12 plants to suit any garden size.

Why Choose Idaho Fescue?

Idaho Fescue is a highly adaptable and low-maintenance native grass that brings both aesthetic appeal and ecological benefits to your garden. Its ability to thrive in diverse conditions, coupled with its value as a forage and habitat source, makes it an excellent choice for sustainable landscaping.

Planting Tips:

1. Location: Prefers full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil.
2. Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish roots. Once established, it is highly drought-tolerant and requires minimal supplemental watering.
3. Maintenance: Minimal care required. There's no need to deadhead the flowers, as allowing them to go to seed provides a valuable food source for birds. Leaving the stems standing in the fall offers overwintering sites for beneficial insects. If desired, cut back the stems in late spring after pollinators have emerged. 

For more information on planting, view our How to Plant Your Native Plants guide and other planting tips in the Garden for Wildlife Learning Center.

Enhance your garden with the elegant beauty and resilience of Idaho Fescue—a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant native grass that brings year-round texture and ecological value to your landscape!

Shipping Range:

• AZ
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Zip Code Verification: Our plants are grown regionally to thrive where you live and help local wildlife. Confirm availability for your area using the zip code checker near the add to cart button above.

Returns: Due to the nature of our products, we are unable to offer order cancellations, returns or exchanges. In order to guarantee your satisfaction, all plants are covered by our Plant Guarantee.

*To ensure your plants arrive healthy, we may delay shipments to certain areas during times of extreme temperatures, natural disasters, or other conditions that will impact the plants during transit

Sizing: At the time of shipment, our plants have a developed root mass and emerging foliage around 4-8” high.

Recommended container sizes (in width) for container planting: