Festuca californica
‘Phil’s Silver’
at Digging Dog

Festuca

Fescue

Originating from the Latin word for stalk or stem, the genus Festuca is comprised of approximately 300 cool season perennial species. The following native Californian selections highlight handsome, fine textured tufts, which appreciate a well drained site, annual early spring trimmings and a division every couple of years, while sulking in hot humid weather.

Festuca californica ‘Phil’s Silver’   

A standout for its stiff silvery blades, this robust, cool season grass originated from seed that Cal Flora Nursery owner, Phil Van Soelen, collected near California’s Sonoma coast.

Anchored by burgundy sheaves, glaucous gray-green leaves become more lustrous as the weather warms, but remain evergreen in milder climates. Unfurling in airy, yet showy abundance, the graceful greenish panicles mature to a cozy golden hue some 2 or 3 ft. above a fairly compact, dense basal tuft of handsome long-lived foliage.

Resplendent en masse with shrubs such as Ceanothus, Cistus or Ribes, ‘Phil’s Silver’ prefers good drainage, minimal to moderate summer water, and obliges an array of situations, such as coastal hillsides, wind and drought in cooler areas.

Blooms April–June.

Size: 3' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 7.

Festuca californica Phil’s Silver (G-0462)
Each $6.50
Add to Cart