Tomales Bay Fescue

Tomales Bay Fescue (Festuca idahoensis 'Tomales Bay') is a beautifully refined California native ornamental grass selected from the wild coastal grasslands of West Marin, producing graceful, fine-textured mounds of soft blue-green foliage with a distinctive silvery sheen. Its delicate, arching blades create a naturally elegant, flowing form that moves gently in the breeze — evoking the cool, windswept meadows of the Northern California coast from which it originates.

These Professional Grade 4" plants are grown with heritage practices, developing fibrous, deep-reaching root systems perfectly adapted to the challenging conditions of California's coastal and inland landscapes. Tomales Bay Fescue is a premier choice for native gardens, naturalistic landscapes, erosion control on slopes, dry creek beds, and meadow plantings. Its exceptional drought tolerance and adaptability to a range of well-drained soils — including lean, rocky, and sandy types — make it one of the most dependable low-maintenance native grasses available for California gardens and beyond.

• True California Native with Coastal Provenance: Selected from the native grasslands of the Tomales Bay region, this fescue brings authentic regional character and proven local adaptability to native and naturalistic garden designs throughout coastal and inland California.
• Outstanding Drought Tolerance Once Established: A natural survivor in California's summer-dry climate, Tomales Bay Fescue thrives on minimal supplemental irrigation once its root system establishes — making it an ideal choice for water-wise, low-water, and xeriscape garden designs.
• Graceful Fine-Textured Foliage with Year-Round Interest: Soft, arching blue-green blades create a flowing, naturalistic mound that provides elegant textural contrast among bolder-leaved perennials, shrubs, and natives throughout the growing season.
• Supports Native Wildlife & Beneficial Insects: As a native grass species, Tomales Bay Fescue provides valuable habitat and food resources for native insects, ground-nesting birds, and small wildlife — an important ecological contribution to sustainable and habitat-focused landscapes.
• Versatile in Native, Meadow & Rock Garden Settings: Equally effective in native plant gardens, wildflower meadows, rock gardens, dry slopes, erosion-prone areas, and naturalistic border edges — thriving in the lean, fast-draining soils where other grasses often fail.

These 4" healthy live plants thrive in full sun to light shade with excellent drainage and low to moderate water. Highly drought tolerant once established; avoid clay soils and summer overwatering. Hardy in USDA zones 5–9. Mature height: 10–14 inches; spread: 12–18 inches. Bloom time: May–July. Cut back lightly in late winter or early spring to refresh the clump and encourage vigorous new growth. Best suited to California's summer-dry climate and similar Mediterranean-type conditions.