Sesleria heufleriana - Blue-green Moor Grass

Muriel says: This is a very tough grass! The Sesleria image with the blossoms is one of many that were planted just for the sake of getting them in the ground. I also put leaves, newspapers and bark mulch around them because I knew they were far from any sprinklers. I dragged a hose over to them a couple of times and then the second summer after planting I decided to pull back the mulch. The ground was bone dry. No water had even managed to get through. They were yellow-green in color. After watering they did become a nice rich green. They look best with more water and a little shade, but this plant is obviously very drought tolerant.

You will be amazed at how early this grass blooms. Plant early spring bulbs nearby.

Description: cool season; clump forming
Foliage is grey-blue on the surface, green on the underside; medium blade width; 30-40 cm (12-16") in height
Flowers bloom in early spring; dark purple; 50-60 cm (20-24") tall

Ideal conditions: well drained soil. Full sun to part shade. Tolerant of heat and drought. Looks its best in some shade and with some additional watering in dry climates.

Coldest zone: 4 (find your zone; further info on plant hardiness)

Partner with: early Narcissus, Crocus, Primula, Astilbe, Spodiopogon sibericus

Season of interest: year-round (semi-evergreen)

Native to: shady areas, open woodlands of Europe

Drought tolerance rating: 2 (water to root depth once every 2 weeks); further info

Recommended spacing between plants: 45-75cm (18-30") why such a difference?

Pronunciation: Sesleria (ses-LER-ee-ah) heufleriana (hyoo-FLER-ee-an-na)

More ornamental grasses

Compare Sesleria heufleriana to our other grasses in this handy chart.