Festuca coxii

Blue-green-gray, clump-forming tussock grass with a flowing habit, up to 35cm tall and 40cm wide.

A clump-forming tussock grass with blue-green-grayish green pointed leaves. Flowers are produced from November through to February.

Prefers moist soil in full sun or light shade.

Prepare the planting site when soil is moist and easily worked after the first rains in autumn. Remove all weeds and incorporate bark compost or other organic material. On heavy soils, incorporate extra topsoil and coarse pumice sand. Plant when the soil is moist and warm in autumn or early spring so that a good root system develops. Planting too closely leads to spindly growth and eventual decline. In a border, plants should just touch each other to create a full effect without overcrowding.

Always choose healthy, well grown plants and plant after autumn rains. Before planting, ensure the root ball is saturated and remove the planter pot with minimal root disturbance. Trim any broken roots and plant at the same level as in the container. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the root ball, press in and water once planted. Make sure plants are watered well until established if planting in a drier period. Plant with some general slow-release fertiliser and then every spring, apply organic fertiliser (such as blood and bone) at a handful per square metre.

Mulch with bark or similar material in spring to conserve moisture. Protection from rabbits may be needed, especially when the plants are still young.

Apply mulch annually to suppress weeds and conserve moisture. Festuca grow well in most free-draining positions and require very little fertiliser. A light spring dressing is sufficient.

Dividing the plants in autumn to early winter to enable the new plants to establish while the soil remains relatively warm. The plants can then burst into life the following spring. This should be done every 2-3 years to maintain good foliage colour. Dividing can be achieved by lifting the whole clump, placing two garden forks back-to-back in the middle of the clump and then pushing in and forcing apart with the forks. The clumps should then be immediately re-planted in their new positions and watered in. However, Festuca are easiest propagated by seed collected in summer and autumn. If plants start to look unsightly, they can be cut back hard to ground level.

Festuca produce plenty of seed so tend to seed out all over. The resulting new plants can then be dug up and transplanted to wherever they are wanted.

Avoid wet overwintering conditions.

Combine with silver-foliaged carpeting plants.

TBC

This Festuca is a strictly coastal growing grass. In its natural habitat it grows on rock ledges cliff faces rock stacks peaty turf amongst petrel burrows and on exposed wind blasted ridge lines.