The name is Greek for "twisted bristle", describing the awn on the ears of seeds.
H. sempervirens is native to the western Mediterranean region. It bears bright blue-gray, narrow leaves.
| Plant Types: | Annual, Grass, Perennial |
| Light: | Partial Shade to Full Sun |
| Height: | 1 foot 6 inches to 2 feet 6 inches |
| Width: | 1 foot to 2 feet 6 inches |
| Zones: | 4a to 9b |
| Bloom Color: | Brown |
| Bloom Seasons: | Early summer, Mid summer, Late summer |
| Leaf Color: | Blue, Green, Silvery |
| Special Features: | Attractive foliage, Deer resistant, Naturalizing, Not North American native |
| Shape: | Rounded |
| Fertilizer: | Miracle-Gro® Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food |
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For propagation, divide clumps in spring or sow seeds. They may also be grown in containers.
This clump-forming grass has linear green or gray-blue leaves and is native to meadows and woodland margins in termperate Eurasia. Grow in full sun. It retains its color through winter. If the temperature drops below 5°F, mulch to protect its roots.
For best flowering, spring should be cool and steadily moist. In hot, humid enviroments, they will bloom much more sparsely.
Blue Oat Grass grows in poor to average soil, as long as it is well-drained. It is drought tolerant, but during the growing season it is best to water it lightly once every week or so, letting the soil dry out. Helictotrichon does best in alkaline soil that is poor-moderately fertile and well-draining.
Use fertilizer suitable for flowering plants mixed into its water every 3-4 weeks.
Remove dead plant parts in spring, especially leaves and old stems.
The only real problem is rust.