Festuca californica 'Phil's Silver' - California Fescue

Description

Festuca californica can range anywhere from bright green to blue-grey, and this is a wonderful selection that sits over on the blue-grey side of things, becoming lighter in color over the growing season until it is truly silvery.  'Phil's Silver' grows to about 2' x 2', putting up open, airy flower stalks in early spring that sit atop the foliage.  This is a bunchgrass so it will not spread, but looks great in lumpy textured meadow en masse or with other grasses and the occasional perennial poking up (think Achillea, Rudbeckia, Iris, etc.).  Drought tolerant once established, though it will look lusher with some summer water.  This selection is from the Sonoma Coast and will take full sun but needs a dappled shade situation in very hot climes.  We have found 'Phil's Silver' to be more deer resistant than other Festuca.