Festuca californica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Subfamily: | Pooideae |
Genus: | Festuca |
Species: | F. californica |
Binomial name | |
Festuca californica | |
Festuca californica is a species of grass known by the common name California fescue.
This fescue species is native to the U.S. states of California and Oregon, where it is a member of many plant communities, including chaparral and oak woodlands, the former of which can be found in both Northern and Southern coastal California and the latter in Central and Northern California. [1] [2]
Festuca californica is a clumping perennial bunch grass, without rhizomes, that grows in greenish gray tufts.
It reaches anywhere from 1.5–4.5 feet (0.46–1.37 m) in height, and 1.5–3.5 feet (0.46–1.07 m) in width. [3] The green-gray leaves are narrow, and can reach 2 feet (0.61 m) long. Festuca californica has a yellow color when it blooms. Peak blooming time is March, April, May, June, July. [4]
The inflorescence, on stems reaching up to 6 feet (180 cm), holds spikelets, which are each 1 to 2 centimeters long. The flowers are in large open sprays, in the spring and summer. The plant reproduces from seed and from buds located at the base of the clump.
Festuca californica is cultivated as an ornamental grass by specialty plant nurseries, for planting in traditional gardens and as a potted plant, for drought-tolerant and wildlife gardens, and for natural landscaping projects. [5] [6] [7]
It is planted under Coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) in gardens, being a drought-tolerant understory not requiring summer watering that can endanger the trees. [8] It is also planted in landscapes for slope stabilization and erosion control, due to its deep and dense network of roots. Its light requirement makes it necessary for it to be planted in part shade conditions. [4]
Cultivars are grown, with different foliage color and texture aesthetic variations, they include:
In ecological restoration projects, Festuca californica is used with other local native grasses for restoring California coastal prairie habitats.
People native to California such as the Pomo people thatched their houses with Festuca californica in order to provide warmth during cold seasons. [15]
Viola pedunculata, the California golden violet, Johnny jump up, or yellow pansy, is a perennial yellow wildflower of the coast and coastal ranges in California and northwestern Baja California. The common name "Johnny jump up" is usually associated with Viola tricolor however, the introduced garden annual.
Ornamental grasses are grasses grown as ornamental plants. Ornamental grasses are popular in many colder hardiness zones for their resilience to cold temperatures and aesthetic value throughout fall and winter seasons.
Festuca ovina, sheep's fescue or sheep fescue, is a species of grass. It is sometimes confused with hard fescue.
Fremontodendron californicum, with the common names California flannelbush, California fremontia, and flannel bush, is a flowering shrub native to diverse habitats in southwestern North America.
Juniperus californica, the California juniper, is a species of juniper native to southwestern North America.
Frangula californica is a species of flowering plant in the buckthorn family native to western North America. It produces edible fruits and seeds. It is commonly known as California coffeeberry and California buckthorn.
The perennial vine Lonicera hispidula is a species of honeysuckle known as pink honeysuckle and, less often, California honeysuckle. It is a low-elevation woodlands shrub or vine found on the West Coast of North America.
Festuca rubra is a species of grass known by the common name red fescue, creeping red fescue or the rush-leaf fescue. It is widespread across much of the Northern Hemisphere and can tolerate many habitats and climates. It is best adapted to well-drained soils in cool, temperate climates; it prefers shadier areas and is often planted for its shade tolerance. Wild animals browse it, but it has not been important for domestic forage due to low productivity and palatability. It is also an ornamental plant for gardens.
Festuca glauca, commonly known as blue fescue, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, Poaceae. It is a commonly cultivated evergreen or semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial.
Danthonia californica is a species of grass known by the common name California oatgrass. This plant is native to two separate regions of the Americas, western North America from California to Saskatchewan, and Chile.
Epipactis gigantea is a species of orchid known as the stream orchid, giant helleborine, and chatterbox. This wildflower is native to western North America from British Columbia to central Mexico. This is one of the most abundant orchids of the Pacific coast of North America.
Festuca idahoensis is a species of grass known by the common names Idaho fescue and blue bunchgrass. It is native to western North America, where it is widespread and common. It can be found in many ecosystems, from shady forests to open plains grasslands.
Festuca subulata is a species of grass known by the common names bearded fescue and nodding fescue. It is native to the northwestern quarter of North America, from Alaska to South Dakota to northern California, where it is most often found in moist mountain forests.
Heuchera maxima is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family, known by the common names island alum root, Channel Islands coral bells, and Jill of the rocks.
Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family Poaceae. They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn, in meadows, grasslands, and prairies. As perennial plants, most species live more than one season. Tussock grasses are often found as forage in pastures and ornamental grasses in gardens.
Penstemon heterophyllus is a species of penstemon known by the common names bunchleaf penstemon, foothill penstemon, and foothill beardtongue. It is endemic to California.
Vulpia microstachys is a species of grass known by the common names small fescue and small sixweeks grass. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Colorado and New Mexico to Baja California, where it grows in many types of open habitat, including grasslands. It is dominant on some grasslands of California, and it was probably an abundant native grass before the habitat was altered by invasive non-native grasses. It occurs on serpentine soils with associates such as serpentine reedgrass. It is also known from parts of South America. It is an annual grass producing one stem or a clump of several stems growing up to 75 centimeters tall. The inflorescence has several open branches bearing clusters of purple-tinged spikelets. The spikelet has one to six flowers. The grass is usually cleistogamous, its flowers fertilizing themselves.
Nassella cernua is a species of grass known by the common name nodding needlegrass.
Festuca octoflora, also known as Vulpia octoflora, is an annual plant in the grass family (Poaceae). The common name six-week fescue is because it supplies about 6 weeks of cattle forage after a rain. Other common names include sixweeks fescue, six-weeks fescue, pullout grass, eight-flower six-weeks grass, or eight-flowered fescue.
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