Festuca californica
Most everyone knows about the kind of grass you grow that you have to cut because it starts to become unsightly as it gets too long. Sure you probably always thought that a yard is decorated better with grass growing on the landscape, but did you know there are ways and types of grasses that you can plant in your yard to make it more beautiful that you would not ever have to cut. There are types of decorative grasses that can accent the colors of your landscape with more beautiful colors of the rainbow than just the green spectrum. These grasses that will be listed here in this article can open up a whole new possibilities for creating a landscape that has more color and diversity adding interest and beauty to your yard.
For the Landscaper in Lodi California who is looking at designing a naturalistic landscape the California Native Grass Festuca californica may be a good choice.
Because it is a native of California where many plant communities are composed with this grass as a member. It is commonly found amongst the chaparral, Douglas fir, Yellow Pine, and mixed evergreen plant communities. This native grass grows in clumps and can usually be found in non-wetlands. This perennial grass is also native to Oregon as well as california. It is a very versatile plant that can grow on a variety of soil types.
This native grass can be used in a naturalistic setting as edging a pathway or even as ground cover. Plant the Festuca with shrubs that are strong enough that they won’t be overtaken by the decorative grass. The Festuca makes a good companion to planting with other California native plants in a naturalistic landscape like the Manzanitas, Oaks, or Toyon species of trees and shrubs. By planting these native plants you will create a more natural setting for your yard that has beauty while also creating a diverse habitat for native creatures.
The naturalistic design can also bring savings on water. In some places in California the cost of water can be something to take into consideration as it has increased in the past years, and some water systems in the state are very old and costly to maintain so saving water use puts less stress on these water delivery systems and saves you money too!
The California Fescue grass loves to grow in the full sun so plant it accordingly, somewhere it gets at least 5 hrs of direct sun would be best. This grass can grow on very poor sandy soils, but it prefers sandy-loam or clay soils. This grass is very easy to take care of as it needs little watering during the dry season. Irrigation should only be needed 3-4 over the dry season as this grass is pretty drought resistant. This grass has a fast growth rate and since it is perennial it will not go dormant through the winter provided the temperatures stay above 30 degrees F. If it gets colder than that then some of the foliage will die off during the frost, but it will grow back with vigor in the spring or as soon as the weather gets warmer. This grass is a host to butterflies and moths. According to wikipedia at least 8 types of caterpillars and butterflies call this plant home. There is the common ringlet, sandhill skipper, sonora skipper, mardon skipper, Lindsey’s skipper, and Nevada skipper. When the grass flowers it produces a yellow flower that the butterflies can feed off of. These yellow flowers, lush green foliage and butterflies are all welcome additions to the yard when you are looking to add something to make the landscape more beautiful with a natural feel and look.
CC Landscaping & Lawns 