Description of the fescue plant, advice on planting and caring for a garden plot, how to reproduce, possible difficulties in growing, curious notes, species and varieties.
Fescue (Festuca) is botanically classified as belonging to the extensive family of Cereals (Poaceae). The plant is distributed throughout the planet, in areas characterized by cold, temperate and subtropical climatic zones, as well as in the mountainous regions of tropical regions. Prefers to grow in meadow and forest spaces. Based on the information in The Plant List, the genus has united 664 different species of this representative of the flora.
| Family name | Cereals |
| Growing period | Perennial |
| Vegetation form | Herbaceous |
| Breeding method | Seed and vegetative (by dividing the overgrown curtain) |
| Landing period in open ground | Starting in mid-May, after the return frosts have passed |
| Landing rules | Planting seedlings is carried out no closer than 7-8 cm |
| Priming | Moderately dry to dry, well drained, low in humus and nutrients |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 6-7 (slightly alkaline or neutral) |
| Lighting degree | Warm, hot and well-lit open area |
| Humidity parameters | Watering only in extreme heat and drought |
| Special care rules | Does not tolerate waterlogged soil |
| Height values | 0, 1–1, 2 m |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Paniculate inflorescence, consisting of spikelets |
| Flower color | Green, greenish-whitish, greenish-purple |
| Flowering period | May-July |
| Decorative period | Spring-autumn |
| Application in landscape design | Rockeries and rock gardens, flower beds, mixborders, border planting, as a ground cover |
| USDA zone | 4–8 |
The genus got its name in Latin thanks to the ancient Roman word "festuca", but there are several versions of the true origin. The translation of the word is the term "food", since such cereals were used to feed livestock. Another version says that the word "festuca" means "straw", which indicates the outer outline of the plant. This name was given to this representative of the flora by Pliny the Elder (23-24 AD - 79 AD), who described him in his work "Natural History".
All fescues are perennials with a herbaceous form of growth, the height of their erect stems is in the range of 10–140 cm. But in the genus there are varieties in which thinned stems grow upright, and their height can be 1, 2–2 m. Rhizomes are usually creeping, formed by numerous shoots, but there are species devoid of them, forming thickened turf. The sheaths at the stems are closed or may be split, with lanceolate ears, or they are not formed. The plants grow on the sides of vegetative shoots, which are covered with leaves, and bare flowering stems. Leaf plates can have outlines from linear, with rather large indicators in width, to narrowed.
Folding is present along the leaf, which contributes to the preservation of moisture, since the inner cavity makes it possible to form very humidified air, which subsequently does not evaporate from the stomata. The surface of the leaves is rough or hairy to the touch, but in rare cases it is bare and smooth. The color of the foliage of fescue is quite varied, ranging from various shades of green to blue, light blue and silver. At the same time, it is interesting that when winter comes, the leaves of this representative of cereals go under the snow cover, without changing their color.
When flowering, panicle inflorescences with slightly spreading contours are formed, their length varies within 4–20 cm. Spikelets in them are no more than 0.5–1.5 cm long, number from 3 to 7 (and in rare cases, ten) flowers. Their color is greenish-whitish or green-purple. In the lower part, the flower scales are characterized by lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate outlines, measuring 0, 3–0, 7 cm in length. Their surface can be bare or covered with short hairs, five barely noticeable veins are visible on it. The dorsal part is rounded, devoid of a keel, the apex is sharpened, and a straight spine is often present.
Pollination occurs by means of the wind, to which the structure of flowers and inflorescences has. Fescue fruits have an oblong caryopsis, which can be measured in length within 2, 3–5 mm. On the dorsal side, it has a bulge, on the front, there is a groove.
The plant is undemanding in care and can revive both lawns and mixborders with its greenish-gray spreading leaves, you just have to adhere to simple cultivation rules.
Growing fescue: planting and grooming outdoors
- Growing location this representative of cereals should be open and well-lit by sunlight from all sides. In this case, the location is selected warm and dry. Flooding of the soil or the presence of groundwater nearby will lead to the onset of infection of the clumps with fungal diseases. There are types of fescue, which, having crossed the three-year line, are characterized by the growth of clumps, while the central part is subject to withering away, so you need to regularly transplant or divide.
- Soil for fescue should be selected similar to her natural preferences. The substrate should be dry to moderately dry with good drainage characteristics so that water and air can reach the root system. It is desirable that the soil is not highly nutritious and does not contain a large amount of humus. Depleted soil will do. If the substrate is heavy or blocking on the site, then you should take care of drainage, and also mix the soil with river sand. Soil acidity indicators should be in the range of 6-7 pH, that is, a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction is preferable.
- Planting fescue. Since the plant is thermophilic, it is recommended to plant it in open ground only when the threat of return frosts in spring has passed and warm days are established - this time approximately begins in different regions from mid-May. Despite the fact that adult specimens tolerate frost and cold snap perfectly, this does not apply to young seedlings, which may die. The site where the planting of fescue is planned is recommended to carefully dig up and mix in slaked lime or dolomite flour and river sand. The first and second components will make the soil not too acidic, the third will contribute to its looseness and lightness. The distance between the seedlings is about 7–8 cm.
- Watering when caring for fescue, it is recommended to carry out only if the weather is hot and dry for a long time. When the amount of precipitation is normal, then this representative of cereals does well without moisturizing the substrate. If the soil is moistened more than required, then this will provoke rotting of the root system and the entire above-ground part of the curtain will gradually wither away.
- Fertilizers for fescue, it is rarely used in the care process, since in nature it mainly grows on soil that is not rich in nutrients (sandy or rocky). Even if the substrate is particularly depleted, then fertilizing needs to be applied only 1-2 times during the growing season and at the same time only half the dose is used if mineral fertilizers were used for deciduous flora. Many connoisseurs recommend the use of products designed for growing lawn grass, such as Agricol or BIOPON.
- Pruning. So that such bushes of a cereal plant do not lose their effectiveness, it is recommended to carry out their periodic cutting. The first time the operation when caring for fescue is performed after the snow cover melts in the spring - the bushes are combed out with a rake. The second time it is recommended to cut the inflorescences when they dry out, so that they do not scatter the seeds that promote self-seeding.
- Wintering this plant is not a problem for the grower, since it is an evergreen representative of the flora and leaves under the snow with a green deciduous mass. The cereal is cold-resistant, but if it is assumed that the winter will be especially harsh or snowless, then it is recommended to cover the hummocks with a dried layer of foliage or straw. The thickness of the mulch should be about 15–20 cm. This is especially true for young specimens, since the older ones are more resistant to winter. As soon as the snow melts in the spring, the shelter must be immediately removed so that the grass curtains do not vomit.
- General advice on care. With the arrival of spring, it is recommended to clear the bush from the fallen leaves. To do this, it is carefully "combed out" with a garden rake in different directions from the center. After flowering begins, in order to avoid self-seeding, it is necessary to remove all panicle inflorescences. After 2–4 years, transplant and divide the growing clumps (especially the type of gray fescue (Festuca cinerea).
- The use of fescue in landscape design. The plant is one of the most common representatives of the Cereal family, which is used in Russia and other European countries for landscaping ridges, mixborders or decorating borders. If you want to form a flower garden with a "carpet" green covering, then you can use a variety of gray fescue (Festuca cinerea). Its usual location in this case is lawns and shrubs, daylilies, which have beautiful flowering. You can plant these cereal bushes in garden containers and baskets. Since there is the possibility of using it as a ground cover crop, planting is performed to cover voids in rockeries and rock gardens, especially the species of fescue dove and Gaultier (Festuca gautieri) are suitable here. The best partners for fescue will be plants with delicate blue and yellow flowers and tall stems, such as bells and chippings (for example, Cerastium tomentosum - felt), Veronica (for example, Veronica spicata - spikelet). Such tussocks of cereal look good next to plants that do not differ in height - geyher and hosts, cuffs, tradescantia and lungwort. However, next to representatives of the flora, which have rather large parameters in height - militias, volzhankas and miscintuses, fescue will not get lost either, creating a spectacular background for them with its bluish or greenish-gray foliage.
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Fescue propagation - growing from seed and dividing
To decorate the garden area with bluish or greenish-gray bushes, tussocks, it is recommended to sow seeds or divide already existing adult plants.
Propagation of fescue using seeds
Often, such plants tend to multiply by self-seeding. If the panicle inflorescences were not cut off in a timely manner, then the ripened seed material spills out onto the ground from the spikelets. With the arrival of spring heat, young sprouts can be seen next to the mother bush. When about a month has passed, they can be dug up and transplanted to a suitable place.
If such a representative of cereals is not yet available in the garden, then with the help of purchased seeds, seedlings can be grown. Sowing is recommended in February. Purchased seeds are prepared before planting by soaking in a barely pinkish solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Peat-sandy soil is poured into the seedling container and holes are formed in it with a depth of about 5 cm, maintaining a row spacing of 10-20 cm. time turned into a beautiful green carpet or compacted pillow. Crops are moistened and placed in a warm and well-lit place for germination.
When 1, 5–2 weeks have passed, you can see the first shoots of fescue. To prevent further stretching of the stems, the seedling container is transferred to a cool place, but the level of illumination there should be high. The seedlings will develop rapidly, and they will soon merge into sod, which can be transplanted into open ground.
Reproduction of fescue by division
In order to keep the bush beautiful, it is recommended to divide and transplant it every 2-4 years. Parent plants need to be removed from the soil in the autumn, until frost has come, and planted in small pots (with a diameter corresponding to the size of the root system). The soil is used the same as for growing (depleted and loose). Sapling pots are placed in the cold, providing a good level of lighting.
Important
In winter, fescue is recommended to be kept in a cold but light greenhouse, the main thing is that the room is not damp, otherwise the plant will quickly rot and disappear.
With the arrival of February-March, you can deal with the division of cereal bumps. To do this, the root system is carefully separated, taking care not to damage the root processes.
Interesting
It happens that they are engaged in division immediately after the fescue bush is removed from the soil in the fall. The rest of the winter content is the same.
After dividing, the parts are planted in boxes filled with a soil mixture of humus soil and river sand in a ratio (4: 1). Only when the return frosts take place in May-June can the divisions be transplanted to the flower bed. It is recommended to maintain a distance of about 4–8 cm so that when growing the stems of the seedlings overlap each other.
You can immediately plant the separated parts of the fescue in a prepared place, but then the transplant should be performed in April or September. However, the soil where the cuttings will be placed must be pre-prepared - it must be fresh, while it is mixed with a small amount of compost or humus. With this reproduction, the resulting parts of the bush will take longer than in the first case to grow.
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Potential Difficulties When Growing Fescue
The plant is quite resistant to both pests and diseases. However, when planted in a damp and often flooded area, it suffers from fungal diseases such as rot or powdery mildew. Then both a grayish-whitish bloom and spots of brown color can appear on the leaves and stems. In such cases, transplantation and treatment with fungicidal preparations is recommended. However, before this, all affected parts of the fescue should be removed and only then sprayed with, for example, Bordeaux liquid or Fundazol.
The plant is cereal and can be attacked by rodents (moles and field mice), which will damage not only the leaves, but also the root system. To do this, you need to set traps in the garden or use ultrasonic scarers, for example, "Isotronic Ultrasonic XL-200", mousetraps "Platinum Group" Success "or chemicals like" BROS ".
The problem with growing clumps is that when cultivated in one place, they gradually die off, therefore it is recommended to transplant and separate overgrown plants in a timely manner.
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Curious Notes About Fescue
Although most of the varieties of this representative of cereals are fodder plants, some species can also be used for medicinal purposes. For example, Altai fescue (Festuca altaica) has not yet been sufficiently studied by medicine, but folk healers note the following properties: as an antiseptic and a source full of vitamins and minerals. Basically, inflorescences and seed material are used for the manufacture of preparations, carefully detailed stems and foliage, and the rhizome has not been ignored. Often, the plant is included in the collection, contributing to the overall strengthening of the body.
A variety of red fescue (Festuca rubra) is in demand in medicine because of pollen, which is injected into preparations of an immunobiological profile to identify and diagnose allergic problems.
The following are used as pasture crops: Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) and reed fescue (Festuca arundinacea), which is similar in all its characteristics. However, the hay from the latter turns out to be of a coarser quality, but the plant is able to grow well on a salted substrate.
Fescue species such as meadow fescue and red fescue (Festuca rubra) are commonly used in the formation of a lawn in the garden, due to the soft stems and leaves, as well as the rapid regrowth after cutting. If you need to fix moving sandy slopes or other areas, then here you can also not do without red fescue and Beckeri (Festuca beckeri). Stable, fixed embankments allow the creation of varieties such as Festuca karatavica and Festuca sclerorhylla due to the branched root system.
Important
It is worth noting that the pollen of some types of fescue can serve as an allergen, therefore it is not recommended to plant bushes in those places where the plant can interfere with children, pregnant women or people with individual intolerance to cereals.
The following symptoms can serve as manifestations of this disease: rhinitis of an allergic nature, swelling of the mucous membranes (nose and throat), itching of the skin, dermatitis and nausea, abdominal pain and disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract are possible. After the appearance of the following problems, it is recommended to urgently consult a doctor.
Description of species and varieties of fescue
Gray fescue (Festuca cinerea)
can be called Calle fescue or Festuca glauca … The native area of growth falls on the eastern and central European regions, the Baltic lands and Western Ukraine, it is found in the Caucasus and the Urals. It is a perennial plant with low stem parameters, forming a bush of 30-60 cm. The shape of the bush is almost spherical. The foliage color ranges from grayish green to steel bluish. The sheet plates are linear with a narrowing. During flowering, the formation of greenish-gray panicle soft inflorescences occurs, crowning an erect flowering stem. As it blooms, the inflorescence acquires a light brown color.
The flowering process is observed from the beginning of summer days until July. Prefers dry soil and heather thickets. The planting site should be well lit, after 3-4 years it is recommended to divide the sod. In order for the color of the foliage to be of greater intensity, the transplant is carried out every couple of years. If the year is cold, the color of the leaves will be greatly reduced.
Recommended varieties for the garden:
- Azurit, Blausilber and Egret (Silberreiher) - characterized by bluish-silvery foliage.
- Blaufuchs and Blaufink, Blauglut and Fruhlingsblau the silvery foliage casts blue.
- Daeumling with the help of low stems, it forms a compacted bush in height not exceeding 15 cm.
- Meerblau characterized by seawater-colored foliage.
- Seeigel has bluish green leaves.
- Soiling differs in foliage, as if contaminated with a silvery-gray tone.
Filamentous fescue (Festuca filiformis)
or as it is also called Festuca tenuifolia … Prefers to settle on a sandy substrate with high acidity. Lands of natural growth are the territories of Western and Central Europe, and the species is not uncommon on the islands of Britain. Through the stems, a bump of regular shape is formed, from which pointed protruding leaf plates peep out, growing in a bundle-like manner. The leaves are green, their texture is very pleasant, the length does not exceed 15 cm.
In the process of flowering, falling in June, flower-bearing stems grow, in height making up 30 cm, on which panicle inflorescences hover over the entire bush. The color of the panicles is whitish-green, with their help, a lace cover is formed over the entire bush. Recommended for planting with other types of fescue with blue foliage for contrast. The most popular variety is Grunling.
Mayeri's fescue (Festuca mairei)
A common species in the mountain ranges of Africa (Atlas Mountains), at an altitude of about 2300 m above sea level. The species became known thanks to the naturalist from Germany Georg Forster (1754–1794). By means of grayish-green foliage, a neat spherical bush is formed in the form of a mound no higher than 60–80 cm. The leaves are flat. In the process of flowering, refined panicle inflorescences of graceful outlines are formed, decorating the bush in June.
As well as other varieties, it is cold-resistant, but can easily withstand blocking and summer heat. Although the growth rate is low, the resulting hummock does not lose its decorative effect for quite a long time. In mild climates, it grows as an evergreen representative of the flora. To improve the overall appearance with the arrival of autumn, old leaves can be "combed out" using a garden rake.
Amethyst fescue (Festuca amethistina)
grows in nature on the territory of the Caucasus and the mountainous regions of Central Europe. It is an evergreen plant that goes under the snow in winter without changing the color of the foliage. With the help of stems and leaves, a rounded bump is formed, the height of which is 0.6 m. It can form dense cushion-like curtains. The color of the leaf blades varies from bluish green to bluish gray. The leaf in cross-section has a rounded shape, resembles a needle, the surface is pleasant to the touch.
During flowering, which occurs in June, refined flowering stems, crowned with panicle inflorescences of a greenish-purple hue, begin to rise above the leaves. After a decade, the curtain can reach a meter in diameter.
The best varieties for growing in the garden are recognized:
- Aprilgrun occurs synonymously Aprilgreen - the owner of green foliage and stems with amethyst sheen.
- Bronzeglanz when flowering, the spikelets in the inflorescences take on a shade of bronze.
- Klose differs in foliage, the length of which is the smallest in comparison with other cultivars. The color of the leaf blades is olive.
- Superba is the most curious variety, as it is distinguished by its spectacular outlines and color. The leaf plates are shaded with a rich bluish-silver color. Their length is no more than 0.3 m. Flowering stems, distinguished by their slenderness and amethyst tone, are formed at the beginning of summer. Their height can be measured at 0, 6 m. Peduncles are decorated with panicles of a pleasant wheat color. At the same time, the decorativeness of the inflorescences is not lost for 20 days.
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Video about growing fescue in the garden:
