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Hard Fescue

Festuca brevipila

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Plant Profile
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Distribution Map

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Order:

Poales

Family:

Poaceae (Grass)

Also in this family:

Alpine Catstail, Alpine Foxtail, Alpine Meadow-grass, Annual Beard-grass, Annual Meadow-grass, Arrow Bamboo, Barren Brome Grass, Bearded Couch Grass, Bearded Fescue, Bermuda Grass, Black Bent, Black Grass, Blue Fescue, Blue Moor-grass, Bog Hair-grass, Borrer's Saltmarsh Grass, Bread Wheat, Bristle Bent, Brown Bent, Brown Sedge, Bulbous Foxtail, Bulbous Meadow-grass, California Brome Grass, Canary Grass, Carnation Sedge, Cocksfoot, Cockspur, Common Bent, Common Cord-grass, Common Millet, Common Reed, Common Saltmarsh Grass, Compact Brome Grass, Corn, Couch Grass, Creeping Bent, Creeping Soft-grass, Crested Dog's-tail, Crested Hair-grass, Cultivated Oat, Curved Hard Grass, Cut Grass, Dense Silky Bent, Downy Oat-grass, Drooping Brome Grass, Drooping Tor Grass, Dune Fescue, Early Hair-grass, Early Meadow-grass, Early Sand-grass, False Brome Grass, False Oat-grass, Fern Grass, Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue, Flattened Meadow-grass, Floating Sweet-grass, Foxtail Barley, French Oat, Giant Fescue, Glaucous Meadow-grass, Great Brome Grass, Greater Quaking Grass, Grey Hair-grass, Hairy Brome Grass, Hairy Finger-grass, Hard Grass, Harestail Grass, Heath Grass, Holy Grass, Hybrid Marram Grass, Italian Rye Grass, Knotroot Bristlegrass, Lesser Hairy Brome Grass, Lesser Quaking Grass, Loose Silky Bent, Lyme Grass, Marram Grass, Marsh Foxtail, Mat Grass, Mat-grass Fescue, Meadow Barley, Meadow Fescue, Meadow Foxtail, Meadow Oat-grass, Mountain Melick, Narrow-leaved Meadow-grass, Narrow-leaved Small-reed, Neglected Couch Grass, Nit Grass, Orange Foxtail, Pampas Grass, Perennial Rye Grass, Plicate Sweet-grass, Purple Moor-grass, Purple Small-reed, Purple-stem Catstail, Quaking Grass, Ratstail Fescue, Red Fescue, Reed Canary Grass, Reed Sweet-grass, Reflexed Saltmarsh Grass, Rescue Grass, Rough Meadow-grass, Rush-leaved Fescue, Sand Catstail, Sand Couch Grass, Scandinavian Small-reed, Scottish Small-reed, Sea Barley, Sea Couch Grass, Sea Fern Grass, Sheep's Fescue, Silver Hair-grass, Six-rowed Barley, Slender Brome Grass, Small Cord-grass, Small Sweet-grass, Smaller Catstail, Smooth Brome Grass, Smooth Cord-grass, Smooth Finger-grass, Smooth Meadow-grass, Soft Brome Grass, Somerset Hair-grass, Sorghum, Spreading Meadow-grass, Squirreltail Fescue, Stiff Brome Grass, Stiff Saltmarsh Grass, Sweet Vernal Grass, Tall Fescue, Timothy Grass, Tor Grass, Tufted Hair-grass, Two-rowed Barley, Upright Brome Grass, Velvet Bent, Viviparous Fescue, Wall Barley, Wavy Hair-grass, Wavy Meadow-grass, Whorl Grass, Wild Oat, Wood Barley, Wood Fescue, Wood Meadow-grass, Wood Melick, Wood Millet, Yellow Oat-grass, Yorkshire Fog

Type:

Flower

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Maximum Size:

30 centimetres tall

Habitats:

Gardens, grassland, roadsides, rocky places.

Flower:

Green, no petals

An erect or slightly nodding panicle of spikelets. Spikelets each have between 4 and 7 flowers.

Fruit:

A caryopsis which is a kind of dry, one-seeded fruit.

Leaves:

A densely tufted perennial. Like Blue Fescue, this species also often has bluish leaves. The leaves of Hard Fescue are light green, very narrowly linear and have inrolled margins. Leaf blades are stiff in appearance.

Other Names:

Sheep Fescue, Short-haired Fescue.

Frequency (UK):

Unusual

Blue Fescue

Summary

Festuca brevipila, also known as sheep fescue, is a species of grass native to the western United States and Canada. It is a small, tufted grass that typically grows to be about 8-12 inches tall. The leaves are narrow and typically blue-green in color. The flowers, which appear in the summer, are small and spike-like, and are usually a pale yellow or tan color.

Sheep fescue is a hardy, drought-tolerant grass that is well-suited to dry, rocky, or sandy soils. It is often used in landscaping and gardening, particularly in xeriscaping, a form of landscaping that is designed to be drought-resistant. It is also used for forage for sheep, deer and other grazing animals.

It's adaptability to poor soil conditions, cold temperatures and low maintenance makes it a popular ornamental grass for rock gardens and slope stabilization, and for difficult-to-grow areas such as roadsides, parking lot islands, median strips, and embankments.

It's also used for reclamation of mining sites, although it's not recomend for home lawns since it's not tolerant to heavy foot traffic or close mowing.

Festuca brevipila is also known to have valuable ecological functions, playing an important role in providing cover and food for wildlife and preventing soil erosion.

Blog

Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila) is a type of cool-season grass that is widely grown for its attractive appearance and hardiness. It is a species of fescue, which is a group of grasses that are known for their fine texture and low maintenance requirements. Hard fescue is native to Europe and western Asia, but it is now grown throughout the world, including in North America, where it is highly valued as a lawn and turf grass.

Appearance

Hard fescue is a low-growing grass that typically reaches a height of 6-12 inches (15-30 cm). It has fine, needle-like leaves that are blue-green or dark green in color, and a dense growth habit that gives it a soft, velvety texture. Hard fescue produces flower spikes that are 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) tall and have a purplish hue.

Benefits

One of the main benefits of hard fescue is its hardiness. It can tolerate a wide range of soil types, including sandy, rocky, and poorly-drained soils. It is also highly tolerant of drought and can survive long periods without water. This makes it an excellent choice for areas with low rainfall or limited access to water.

Hard fescue is also highly resistant to disease and pests. It is not usually affected by common lawn diseases such as brown patch and dollar spot, and it is rarely attacked by insects or other pests. This means that it requires minimal maintenance, which makes it a cost-effective choice for homeowners and landscapers.

Uses

Hard fescue is widely used as a lawn grass, especially in areas with cool climates. It is often blended with other cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass to create a turf that is both attractive and durable. It is also used on golf courses and sports fields, where its hardiness and low maintenance requirements make it an ideal choice.

In addition to its use as a turf grass, hard fescue is sometimes used for erosion control and habitat restoration. Its deep root system helps to stabilize soil and prevent erosion, and its dense growth habit provides cover and food for wildlife.

Conclusion

Overall, hard fescue is a versatile and hardy grass that offers many benefits for homeowners, landscapers, and other users. Its fine texture, attractive appearance, and low maintenance requirements make it a popular choice for lawns and turf, while its hardiness and resistance to disease and pests make it a reliable and cost-effective option for a wide range of applications. If you are looking for a grass that can withstand harsh conditions and provide year-round beauty, hard fescue is definitely worth considering.

Some Facts about Hard Fescue

Here are some additional details about hard fescue that may be of interest:

Soil preferences: Hard fescue prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 5.5-7.5. It can tolerate acidic soils and does not require a lot of fertilizer, which makes it an eco-friendly choice for homeowners and landscapers.
Sun requirements: Hard fescue performs best in partial shade or full sun, but it can tolerate some shade as well. It is a cool-season grass, which means it grows best in the spring and fall when temperatures are cool and rainfall is plentiful.
Seed and sod options: Hard fescue is available in both seed and sod form. Seed is often the preferred choice for homeowners and landscapers who want to establish a new lawn or turf, while sod is a good option for those who want an instant lawn.
Maintenance: Hard fescue requires minimal maintenance, especially if it is grown in the right conditions. It should be mowed to a height of 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) to keep it looking neat, and it may benefit from occasional fertilization and irrigation in dry periods.
Environmental benefits: Hard fescue is an environmentally-friendly choice for lawns and turf because it requires minimal water and fertilizer, and it produces a dense root system that helps to prevent soil erosion. It is also a good choice for areas with wildlife, as it provides cover and food for birds and small animals.

In conclusion, hard fescue is a hardy and versatile grass that offers many benefits for homeowners, landscapers, and other users. Its attractive appearance, low maintenance requirements, and environmental benefits make it a popular choice for lawns, turf, and other applications.

More Information

Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila) is a cool-season grass that is native to Europe and western Asia but is now grown throughout the world, including in North America. This low-growing grass is highly valued for its attractive appearance, hardiness, and low maintenance requirements.

Hard fescue has fine, needle-like leaves that are blue-green or dark green in color, and a dense growth habit that gives it a soft, velvety texture. It produces flower spikes that are 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) tall and have a purplish hue.

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

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Hard Fescue

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Plant Profile

Similar Species

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