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Festuca ´Elijah Blue´® 17cm

Name: Festuca ´Elijah Blue´® 17cm
Brand: Greenleaf Garden Center
SKU: FestElijahBlue17cm
Price: 10.0 EUR
Availability: InStock

€11,50

€10,00

Quantity

Compact evergreen blue ornamental grass · Poaceae

Festuca ´Elijah Blue´®

Not lawn — personality in tufts 💈

Family: Poaceae · Pot diameter: 17cm · Height: 35cm

Fine silver-blue blades
Dense hemispherical tuft
Sun and sharp drainage
Flower stems 30–50cm

Festuca ´Elijah Blue´® is the tuft that turns a simple sunny spot into a designed composition. Hundreds of very fine, icy-blue blades radiate from a small base to form a crisp hemisphere that never looks like ordinary lawn grass. In a pot, gravel garden, rockery or repeated border, it brings colour, rhythm and airy texture with very little bulk but a strong graphic presence.

Repeated through a planting, it creates a trail of small icy-blue brushstrokes that leads the eye; alone in a pot, it gives an immediate clean, contemporary finish. It pairs beautifully with creeping gold-green plants, deep-purple flowers and silver textures, creating strong contrast without crowding the composition. This is a small tuft with real design power, ideal for making a sunny corner feel complete.

ISU Trial Award 1996 · Belgium

What makes it special

‘Elijah Blue’ combines genuinely blue foliage, a compact basal crown and delicate seasonal flowering.

A true blue hemisphere

Many very fine rolled blades radiate from a narrow basal crown and maintain a compact rounded mound.

Seasonal panicles, not a shaggy mass

Only a limited number of fine flower stems rise clearly above the foliage in early summer.

Best when conditions are lean

Sun, drainage and restrained feeding produce a denser tuft and cleaner blue than rich, wet ground.

Why you will love it: it gives stone and contemporary planting a precise blue accent, yet moves softly in the wind and changes delicately when its panicles mature.

In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations A sun-loving blue tuft for gravel, the edge of a border or a container with free-flowing drainage.

Planting position

A blue punctuation mark in full sun

Repeat it through gravel, a rock garden or the front of a sunny border, leaving air around each crown. Keep it away from irrigation-heavy planting and soil that remains wet in winter.

Colour & compatibility

Blue with amber, black and purple

Broader leaves and warm flowers amplify its fine cool texture.

Achillea ‘Terracotta’ — flat warm flower heads contrast with the blue mound
Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ — black ribbons deepen the silver-blue tone
Salvia nemorosa — purple vertical flowers share sun and free drainage

Care at a glance

Light

Full sun produces the strongest colour and the most compact crown.

Watering

Water while establishing, then only after the root zone has dried appreciably; avoid winter wet.

Climate & hardiness

Cold hardy, but prolonged hot, humid weather can slow this cool-season grass and open the centre.

Safety

For ornamental use only; fine blades can feel sharp, so wear gloves when grooming.

Detailed care Complete care guide Eight points for bright blue colour, a dry base and a healthy living centre.

Light

Give it at least six hours of direct sun. In partial shade the foliage becomes greener and longer, and loses its tight radiating form.

Watering

Water deeply during establishment, then allow the upper layer of soil to dry. Constant moisture is more dangerous than a brief dry period.

Soil

It prefers poor to moderately fertile, sandy or gravelly soil with excellent drainage, across a broad pH range.

Feeding

Use little or no fertiliser in good soil. Too much nitrogen produces soft green blades and opens up the clump.

Spring grooming

Gently comb out dry leaves with a gloved hand and trim only damaged tips. Do not mechanically shear the entire evergreen crown down to 5–7cm.

Flower stems

Keep them for an airy golden texture, or remove them at the base once dry if you prefer clean blue hemispheres.

Division

When the centre begins to die back, usually about every three years, divide the clump in spring and retain the vigorous outer sections.

Health

It is generally free of serious pests. Rust can develop where the foliage stays damp and airless; improve airflow and reduce wetting of the leaves.

Development over time From a small blue tuft to a flowering hemisphere The basal clump becomes denser, while flower stems appear only in their natural season.

Crown establishment

Fine roots secure the small basal crown before the tuft expands visibly.

Blue hemisphere

New rolled blades fill the mound to around 20–30cm.

Renewal by division

As an older centre thins, divide in spring and retain vigorous outer sections.

Mature form & dimensions

maturity in 2–5 years

Foliage 20–30cmSpread 20–30cmFlower stems 30–50cm

Numerous small basal tillers support the fine, curved blades. The vertical measurement marks foliage only; the flowering stems rise above it.

Form through time

spring → summer

SpringFresh fine blades thicken the silver-blue tuft before the flowering stems appear.

Early summerSlender flowering stems carry branched panicles above the leaves; the spikelets gradually ripen to pale beige.

The tuft remains evergreen, although winter may make it slightly greener. Panicles stand above the leaves and do not define the height of the permanent foliage clump.

What to expect after planting: The clump will establish its roots first, then fill out evenly from the centre. Do not keep it constantly wet in an attempt to speed growth; a dry, well-aerated centre is essential for lasting density.

History & origin Cultivar origin A Long Island selection associated with the name Elijah Lane

American horticulturist Lois Woodhull selected Festuca ‘Elijah Blue’ at Cutchogue, Long Island, from seedlings associated in surviving records with Festuca glauca or related blue fescue cultivars; the precise parents were not recorded. Woodhull introduced the selection in 1990.

The name is widely associated with Elijah Lane, the road where the nursery stood, although surviving accounts do not establish every detail of the naming story. Gert Fortgens brought the plant to wider European attention in 1995, and a year later it received an ISU Trial Award in Belgium for its stronger blue colour and May–June flowering.

Greenleaf for Plant Nerds Science nobody asked for Botanical details for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance

The blades roll inwards

Inrolled margins expose less surface to sun and dry air.

Blue is a waxy optical shield

Epicuticular wax scatters light above green chlorophyll and helps limit water loss.

A cool-season C3 grass

Growth is strongest in mild spring and autumn conditions; hot, humid summers can slow it markedly.

Frequently asked questions

Six answers about blue colour, drought, trimming and renewal.

01How large does the tuft become?

Foliage is usually 20–30cm high and wide, with panicles reaching about 30–50cm.

02Why is it turning green?

Low light, rich nitrogen feeding and winter conditions can reduce the silver-blue intensity.

03Can it survive without watering?

Once established it tolerates short dry periods, but a container still needs checking and deep watering as it dries.

04Should it be cut down to 5–7cm?

Not as a routine. Comb out dead foliage and trim only damaged tips in spring.

05Why is the centre opening?

Age, rich soil and moisture accelerate this normal tuft behaviour; divide and retain healthy outer pieces.

06Has it genuinely won an award?

Yes. Festuca ‘Elijah Blue’ received an ISU Trial Award in Belgium in 1996.

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Festuca ´Elijah Blue´® 17cm

Festuca ´Elijah Blue´® 17cm

Festuca ´Elijah Blue´®

What makes it special

A true blue hemisphere

Seasonal panicles, not a shaggy mass

Best when conditions are lean

A blue punctuation mark in full sun

Blue with amber, black and purple

Care at a glance

Light

Watering

Climate & hardiness

Safety

Light

Watering

Soil

Feeding

Spring grooming

Flower stems

Division

Health

Crown establishment

Blue hemisphere

Renewal by division

Mature form & dimensions

Form through time

The blades roll inwards

Blue is a waxy optical shield

A cool-season C3 grass

Frequently asked questions

Festuca ´Elijah Blue´® 17cm — Care & Tips

We take care of the packaging!

With specially designed boxes, we ensure that the plants will reach you intact, no matter what they encounter on the way!

All plants in 3L pots or larger are placed in individual boxes that secure the plant at the base of the pot, preventing it from tipping over.

The cardboard used for the boxes is specially made to provide resistance to potential impacts during transport.

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