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Wasowski, Sally and Andy

Festuca californica

Festuca californica Vasey

California Fescue

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Synonym(s): Festuca hitchcockianus

USDA Symbol: FECA

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

This perennial bunchgrass is large, relative to most fescues, with gracefully drooping, narrow, dull-green to blue-green leaves reaching up to 4 ft. in height. Flower culms may stand up to 3-6 ft.

From the Image Gallery

8 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: CA , MT , OR , WA
Native Distribution: Clackamas Co., OR to s. CA, w. of the Cascades & Sierras
Native Habitat: Dry, open ground to moist stream banks; wood edges; below 5000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Dry to moist soils.

Benefit

Use Food: Festuca grasses harvested for seed by Native Americans.
Use Other: Pomo Indians maintained stands of this species for thatch.
Interesting Foliage: yes

Propagation

Description: Sow seed.
Seed Treatment: No pretreatment is necessary.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Groundcover for erosion control
September 23, 2008
I live in southern california. What is the best groundcover to plant on a slope to prevent erosion?
view the full question and answer

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:			FACU							FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 1218 - Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. Kat

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Festuca californica in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Festuca californica in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Festuca californica

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-25
Research By: TWC Staff

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