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blue fescue nz

If you're searching for "blue fescue nz", you're likely looking for elegant, easy-care grasses that add year-round colour and texture to New Zealand gardens. Blue fescue is prized for its striking blue-green foliage, compact growth habit, and adaptability to a range of garden settings. Whether used as border edging, in rock gardens, container planting, or mass landscape plantings, blue fescue offers a modern look that thrives throughout NZ’s diverse climates. Exploring the different varieties available can help you find the perfect fit for your garden.

Festuca coxii (Blue Fescue) grass growing in a garden.

Festuca coxii (Blue Fescue)

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Festuca coxii, commonly known as Blue Fescue, is a hardy NZ native, ornamental grass that features fine, blue foliage. Straw-coloured seed heads complement the leaves in summer. It grows as a clump to about 20 cm high and wide, growing best in full sun or partial shade.

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Grasses
Height: 38 cm
Spread: 30 cm
Flowering time: Summer
Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Patios, Pool areas
Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native
festuca-banks-peninsula-blue-1

Festuca 'Banks Peninsula Blue' (Blue Fescue Grass)

Festuca 'Banks Peninsula Blue' is a striking ornamental grass valued for its fine, steel blue foliage that forms neat, compact clumps. This hardy plant is well suited to NZ conditions and provides year round colour and texture in the garden.

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Grasses
Height: 25 cm
Spread: 25 cm
Flowering time: Summer
Tolerances: Coastal, Extended dry periods, Hardy, Wind
Garden uses: Banks, Borders, Containers, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Patios, Pool areas
Garden styles: Alpine, Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Coastal, Frontyard, Japanese, Mediterranean, Modern, Native
Podocarpus 'Matapouri Blue' hedge.
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A Picea pungens 'Glauca' (Colorado Blue Spruce) tree.
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Pimelea prostrata 'Blue Peter' plants with fine and elegant, blue foliage.
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Ajuga 'Catlins Giant' plants with green foliage and blue flowers growing in a garden bed.
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Large Jacaranda mimosifolia tree with blue flowers.
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Dianella 'Revelation'

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Westringia 'Blue Gem' low hedge with elegant mauve coloured flowers.
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Myosotidium hortensia (Chatham Island Forget Me Not) plant with lush green foliage and stunning blue flowers.
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Myosotidium hortensia, commonly known as the Chatham Island Forget-Me-Not, is a distinctive and recognisable NZ native. The plants have large...

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Juncus 'Blue Dart' (Blue Rush)

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Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca' (Blue Atlas Cedar) large specimen tree in a park.
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Salvia chamaedryoides plant with blue flowers and grey-green foliage.
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A Teucrium fruticans rounded shrub with grey foliage and blue flowers.
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Salvia 'Aztec Blue' plants with elegant blue flowers above green foliage.
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Perovskia atriplicifolia

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Dianella nigra plant with masses of blue berries.
Dianella nigra (New Zealand Blueberry)

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Echeveria secunda plant in a pot with fleshy, green leaves, and yellow flowers.
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Thuja orientalis 'Blue Cone' shrubs with green foliage in pots.
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Dichroa 'Blue Stars' (Evergreen Hydrangea)

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Senecio serpens (Blue Chalk Sticks) plants growing as a dense ground cover.
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An immaculate Fine Fescue lawn in a modern and formal garden.
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Eucalyptus 'Baby Blue' (Silver Gum)

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An exquisite Tall Fescue lawn.
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Hydrangea 'Blueberries and Cream' blue flower with cream-coloured florets.
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Nepeta 'Blue Wonder' plant with blue flowers.
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Hydrangea 'Blue Deckle'

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An upright Rosemary 'Tuscan Blue' shrub with blue flowers in a Mediterranean themed garden.
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Festuca coxii (Blue Fescue)

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Ajuga, Chamaecyparis, and Cupressus, or related Categories - Conifer Shrubs, Conifer Trees, and Flaxes.

Search blue fescue nz

What Makes Blue Fescue Special?

Blue fescue is a small ornamental grass, known botanically as Festuca. It stands out with its silvery-blue leaves, which remain vivid even through winter. Its neat, tufted form brings visual rhythm and softness to paths, flower borders, and low-maintenance garden beds. Blue fescue is drought-tolerant and handles New Zealand’s variable weather, making it an ideal choice for both urban landscapes and rural properties.

Popular Varieties of Blue Fescue NZ

New Zealand nurseries offer a selection of blue fescue varieties, each with its own unique shade and characteristics. For a classic choice, Festuca Elijah Blue is widely recognised for its bright blue foliage and tidy mounding habit. If you’re after a native touch, Festuca Banks Peninsula Blue (Blue Fescue Grass) is a New Zealand-bred cultivar, bringing locally adapted vibrancy to garden spaces. Gardeners wanting a spectrum of blue hues can try Festuca Shades of Blue (Festuca Blue), which creates a dynamic, multi-toned planting scheme. Another standout is Festuca coxii (Blue Fescue), valued for its resilience and fine-textured leaves.

Designing With Blue Fescue in New Zealand Gardens

Blue fescue is perfect for contemporary designs, wildflower meadows, or mixed perennial plantings. Its low height and fine leaves contrast beautifully with bold-flowered perennials or native shrubs such as Podocarpus Matapouri Blue (Blue Tōtara), creating harmonious colour palettes and textural interest. Grouping blue fescue along pathways or driveways highlights their symmetry and breathes life into overlooked spaces. In pots, blue fescue serves as a low-maintenance focal point, ideal for sunny patios and decks.

Planting and Caring for Blue Fescue NZ

Blue fescue prefers sunny locations with well-drained soil. Once established, it requires minimal water – making it an excellent alternative in drought-prone regions. Regularly trimming old flower stems and dividing clumps every few years will keep plants vigorous and prevent overcrowding. With its resistance to common garden pests and diseases, blue fescue is a reliable option for gardeners who want beauty without the hassle.


Enhance your garden’s colour palette and structure with the best blue fescue NZ has to offer. Browse the full range of blue fescue varieties including Festuca coxii (Blue Fescue), Festuca Banks Peninsula Blue (Blue Fescue Grass), Festuca Elijah Blue, and Festuca Shades of Blue (Festuca Blue) to find the ideal fit for your project. For coordinated plantings, consider integrating complementary natives like Podocarpus Matapouri Blue (Blue Tōtara) for stunning, low-maintenance landscapes.


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