Festuca rubra

This rhizomatous perennial grass grows to 1 foot tall with flower spikes up to 2 feet tall. Red fescue makes a lovely naturalistic "lumpy lawn" or soft ground cover that can be mowed to 2 inches. It is also great for a meadow garden, or does well in dry shade under oaks. Disease free. Native to California and is also found elsewhere in North America and beyond. Attracts birds,. It is a nutritious and palatable forage grass for domestic and wild animals. No Historical Uses found. Found in grows naturally in meadows and pastures, along seashores and on mountains, and in open fields as well as in woods. . Communitites located in Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Subalpine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, wetland-riparian Between 0 and 8500 feet.

Easy to grow & often used with wildflowers, this rich green to blue-green bunchgrass can withstand some shade and makes a lovely naturalistic “lumpy lawn” or soft bank cover. Nice in parking strips too. It’s not fussy about soil and has pretty good drought tolerance. It can be mowed too (to 2” tall). Runs strongly by rhizomes, so will spread to cover a larger area.