Idaho fescue facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Idaho fescue
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Pooideae
Genus:	Festuca
Species:	F. idahoensis
Binomial name
Festuca idahoensis Elmer
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Festuca idahoensis is a type of grass often called Idaho fescue or blue bunchgrass. It grows naturally across western North America. You can find it in many different places, from shady forests to wide-open grasslands. It is a very common plant in these areas.

What Does Idaho Fescue Look Like?

This fescue is a special kind of bunch grass. It grows in thick clumps and lives for many years. Its stems usually stand about 30 to 80 centimeters (about 1 to 2.5 feet) tall. The leaves are stiff and short. They are mostly found close to the bottom of the plant.

The plant's flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. These flowers have small, hairy parts called spikelets. They produce large fruits with pointy tips, known as awns. Idaho fescue has strong roots that grow deep into the soil. These roots work with tiny fungi in a helpful partnership called mycorrhizae. This grass does not spread using underground stems (called rhizomes). Instead, it grows from seeds and by sending out new shoots called tillers.

Idaho Fescue in Nature

Idaho fescue is a very important plant for many animals. It is a healthy and favorite food for both wild animals and farm animals. In coastal prairies, it often grows alongside other native grasses like Danthonia californica, Deschampsia caespitosa, and Nassella pulchra.

This grass is also a special home for many butterfly caterpillars. It helps feed the young of several types of Lindsey's skipper, sandhill skipper, Sonora skipper, woodland skipper, and western banded skipper butterflies.

People also grow Idaho fescue for landscaping and gardens. Special types, like "Siskiyou Blue," are grown by the horticulture industry for landscape design and home use.

See also

In Spanish: Festuca idahoensis para niños