Beyond Blue Fescue

Beyond Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca 'Beyond Blue') is a fine-leaved tussock grass that forms a dense, rounded clump 20 to 30cm tall and wide. The slender blue-grey foliage holds its icy colour all year. It is a sport of Elijah Blue with about half the height and a bushier habit, so it makes a neat edging or rockery plant and is completely frost hardy.

Why you'll love it

• Icy blue all year. Evergreen blue-grey foliage does not depend on a flowering season, so the colour is there every month.
• Compact and bushy. Compared with Elijah Blue it grows about half the height and holds a fuller, rounder clump.
• Completely frost hardy. Cold winters do not trouble it, which suits cool and cold districts.
• Tolerates dry periods. It copes with dry spells once established, so it works in waterwise plantings.
• Suited to pots. The small, rounded clump looks neat in a container on its own or with contrasting plants.

Where it works best

Rockeries and borders. Plant 25cm apart for a tight edging or a small mass planting. The clumps touch within a season or two and form a smooth blue line.

Foreground of grass plantings. Place it at the front of taller ornamental grasses with a different texture or colour, where its fine blue leaves make a strong contrast.

Containers and cottage gardens. Pair it with variegated plants or soft flowers in a pot to bring out the blue.

Growing Beyond Blue Fescue in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun or part shade. It tolerates cool climates and dry periods and is completely frost hardy, so it is at its best in cool temperate, Mediterranean and warm temperate gardens. It is a cool-climate grass: in hot, humid summers it can thin and decline, so give it airflow and good drainage or choose a native tussock instead.

Soil. Plant into well-drained soil. It does not need rich ground, and wet, heavy soil is the main thing to avoid.

Water and feed. Mulch and water well until established, usually around 12 weeks. Fertilise with a slow release fertiliser in spring. After that it needs little water.

Pruning. Clip it all over in late winter to early spring to refresh the clump. Divide and replant every four or five years to keep it dense.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Beyond Blue Fescue as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. A tube holds a small tuft of blue leaves, so it takes a season to form the full rounded clump.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Ornamental grasses and strappy leaf plants
• Plants for rockeries
• Ornamental grasses for Australian gardens
• Drought tolerant plants

Common questions

How often should I divide it?

Divide and replant every four or five years. Lift the clump, split it into several pieces and replant the healthy outer sections.

Why is the centre of the clump going brown?

Clumps thin out in the middle as they age, which is why division every few years is part of the routine. Clip it back in late winter and divide the clump.

Will it grow in a warm, humid garden?

It is a cool-climate grass and can struggle in hot, humid summers. Give it sun, airflow and sharp drainage, and think about a native tussock if summers are very muggy.