When to plant and prune Blue Fescue
Blue Fescue flowers from late May to mid July and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Blue Fescue is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| South Coast and Channel | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| South East and Home Counties | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| East Anglia | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Wales and West Coast | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Northern England | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Northern Ireland | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early September to late October | late May to mid July | late February to early April |
Growing notes
The blue colour is strongest in full sun on lean, dry soil. Clumps go brown and bald in the middle after two or three years, so divide or simply replant fresh plants in spring.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 25 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 30 cm
- Eventual spread
- 30 cm
- Hardiness
- H5
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 5 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 5 out of 5
Pruning: what to avoid
Evergreen, so it is combed rather than cut. Rake the dead grey blades out by hand in spring; cutting the clump back hard removes the living blue foliage the plant is grown for and often kills it outright.
Pruning group
Evergreen: comb out dead leaves by hand in spring; do not shear
What usually goes wrong
- clumps die out in the centre
- rots in winter-wet ground
- colour fades in shade
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for blue fescue.