Festuca idahoensis
Idaho Fescue (Native)

Description

Festuca idahoensis,
Idaho Fescue (Native)

Perennial, cool-season, densely-tufted, bunchgrass widely distributed in the western US at elevations from 1,000-10,000 ft. Grows between 1 – 3 ft. tall. Grows on all soil textures but prefers silt or sandy loams. Weakly saline, alkali and acidic soil tolerant. Grows on all exposures, excellent cold-tolerance, moderate drought-tolerant and has fair fire-tolerance. Fair to excellent forage for both wildlife and livestock. Extensive deep root system provides excellent erosion control and has fair seedling vigor. Very valuable native grass for restoration of adapted sites in the west. Plant in fall or spring ¼ – ½ inch deep. 450,000 seeds/lb.

Named Release: ‘Joseph’ and ‘Nezpurs’ Are both synthetic cultivars developed from inter-crossing native eco-types from the N/W States and Canada. They were developed to obtain better seed productivity, better seedling vigor and improved germination.

‘Winchester Germplasms’ is a source-identified release from an ecotype from near Winchester, ID.

USDA: Plant Profile | Plant Guide