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Corynephorus canescens Spiky Blue - Sand fescue

Corynephorus canescens Spiky Blue
Grey Hair-grass, Grey Clubawn Grass

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A small evergreen grass with fine steel-blue foliage, growing in small rounded shrubs in dunes and sandy lands. It blooms from May to July, in the form of white spikelets that highlight the bluish colour of the foliage. It is a plant that thrives in poor soil, requires little water, and is resistant to salt spray. A perennial but with a short lifespan, it easily self-seeds where it pleases. Perfect for coastal areas, green roofs, and natural-style dry gardens.
Height at maturity
30 cm
Spread at maturity
30 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -18°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time March to May, September to November
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Flowering time May to July
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Description

The Corynephorus canescens Spiky Blue', also known as the Silver Corynephorus, is a small evergreen grass of poor, sandy soils sometimes called Sand Rush. It is interesting for its sea urchin-like appearance and steel blue foliage that turns slightly reddish in summer, complemented by a late summer flowering with white panicles. It is a short-lived perennial plant that self-seeds where it is happy. Resistant to drought and sea spray, this Corynephorus is ideal for coastal areas, green roofs, and natural-style dry gardens.

 

The Corynephorus canescens Spiky Blue is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the large family of Poaceae. Its wild ancestor is native to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but it is also found in North America. Its natural habitat consists of sandy or rocky, poor, well-drained soils with a tendency towards acidity or limestone. Its rootstock is described as tufted, meaning it does not have trailing rhizomes and is not invasive. However, its roots help stabilise dunes.

The 'Spiky Blue' cultivar was selected for its particularly bluish foliage. The plant forms a dense shrub with a rounded habit, measuring about 30 cm (12in) in all directions. Its upright culms have violet nodes and bear thread-like, very thin, and erect leaves. They are distinctly rolled, stiff, and rough. The flowering period is from May to July, varying depending on the climate. It takes the form of 40 cm (16in) tall floral stems with white panicles of spikelets.

 

The Sand Rush Spiky Blue is ideal for coastal areas, especially for stabilising dunes. Rocky and dry soils, as well as slightly arid slopes, are also favourable environments for this resilient grass. It is also highly ornamental as a border plant or in small clusters within larger gravel beds. It can also be trimmed short to create a lawn-like ground cover. It is used in green roofs, often accompanied by Calamagrostis, Stipa tenuifolia, tall sedums, and other grasses.

 

 

Flowering

Flower colour white
Flowering time May to July
Inflorescence Spike
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 30 cm
Spread at maturity 30 cm
Growth rate fast
Suckering/invasive plant

Botanical data

Genus

Corynephorus

Species

canescens

Cultivar

Spiky Blue

Family

Poaceae

Other common names

Grey Hair-grass, Grey Clubawn Grass

Origin

Western Europe

Product reference157951

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Planting and care

The Corynephorus canescens 'Spiky Blue' likes very sunny places and poor, light, sandy or stony, degraded soils. Tolerant, it tolerates both acidic and neutral or slightly alkaline soils. A fairly hardy native plant, it withstands hot and dry summers well. In nature, this grass grows in dunes, almost entirely composed of pure, salty sand. It also tolerates sea spray very well. With a relatively short lifespan, this sand fescue readily self-seeds in light and sandy soils, but not always faithfully compared to the parent plant.

Excessive soil fertility is detrimental as it can encourage lush vegetation at the expense of flowers. A spring application of compost can be beneficial in very poor soils. Grasses are good plants for containers: use a compost based on potting soil and add 20% sand or fine gravel to lighten the mix. The foliage can be left until February, as it provides structure and movement in flowerbeds. The plants will then be pruned to 10 cm (4in) above ground level when growth resumes.

 

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Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time March to May, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Edge of border, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -18°C (USDA zone 7a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Planting density 5 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, light, very sandy

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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