Festuca
idahoensis subsp. Roemeri, contrasting blue-green and green glaucous leaves[1]
Roemer’s
Fescue (Festuca idahoensis subsp. Roemeri) (Pavlick)
Roemer’s fescue, also called Idaho fescue (but not to be
confused by the more common Festuca idahoensis), is bluish gray green
(moderately shiny or glaucous), 35–100 cm high, densely tufted, tiller bases
stiffly erect, bases purplish or not purplish, horizontal rooting stems absent.1
First described as a variety, but treated as a subspecies based on analyses of unpublished evidence from the seed protein banding profile.1 Roemer’s fescue appears to be a geographically distinct taxon.[2] It is a vigorous, native, long-lived, perennial, cool-season, bunchgrass.[3], [4]
Range
Climate, elevation
Roemer’s fescue grows in a variety of temperature regimes[5], typically in a temperate climate (18-32 inches annual precipitation at sea level) with maritime and Mediterranean influences.[6] Elevation is from sea level to approximately 2500ft.[7]
Pavlick stated "the habitat of var. roemeri
on
Local occurrences
Moderately abundant in grasslands west of the Cascade Mountains, predominantly found in prairies in areas of glacial outwash material (e.g. Puget Sound lowland prairies) and/or prairies historically perpetuated by anthropogenic burning.6 Also found in thin-soiled windswept headlands along the shores or on the islands of Puget Sound, the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and the Straits of Georgia[8],[9]
Habitat preferences
Occurring in grasslands as balds,
prairies, or on coastal bluffs. Generally located on
dry to very dry sites. Most often found on soils that are very shallow
to bedrock outcrops, but also occurs on relatively deep gravelly sandy glacial
outwash or till.7
Plant strategy
Roemer’s fescue has been described as a keystone species of
prairies in the
Associated species
In south Puget Sound prairies where Roemer’s fescue occupies
30-70% cover, associated species include: common
camas (Camassia quamash), long-stolon
sedge (Carex pensylvania), field
woodruch (Luzula campestris),
California oatgrass (Danthonia californica), houndstongue hawkweed (Hieracium cynoglossoides), cutleaf
microseris (Microseris laciniata),
spike goldenrod (Solidago spathulata),
white-top aster (Aster curtus), early
blue violet (Viola adunca), western buttercup (Ranunculus
occidentalis), yarrow (Achillea millefollium) and prairie lupine (Lupinus lepidus).7
Collect as
Seed
Collection requirements or restrictions
Seed life
Age of seed is an important
consideration when seeding with Idaho fescue[21]
Eddleman found germination was highest with new seed (3 months old) and
declined with seed age, although cold temperatures (4 C) promoted germination
for older (15 months) seed.[22]
Chambers observed a 13, 32, and 53% decrease in seed viability over 1, 2, and 3
years, respectively.21 However,
Seed germination
Schmidt found that germination rates
for seeds collected in the same year were typically high (80-100%).[24] Seeds germinate in 8-10 days[25]
in greenhouse conditions throughout most of the year (January-March)23
Daubenmire suggests that the ability of Idaho fescue to survive drought
is related to its ability to germinate in autumn and grow intermittently in
winter during periods of favorable weather and so be sufficiently advanced in
development by the time drought intensifies in early summer that it can
aestivate.[26] Schmidt advocates sowing seeds in the spring
(early March), giving plants the advantage of growing during their natural
seasonal cycle.[27] There
is no pretreatment of seed necessary for germination[28]
although, Goodwin and others found
Seed storage
Store seeds in a breathable
container at moderately low temperatures and moisture levels. Schimdt describes
storing seeds in brown paper bags at approximately 65F in the dark.24
Propagation
Schmidt describes propagating
Roemer’s fescue as follows: Sow seeds in plug flats (cells are 2.25” x 1.5” x
2.25”) at 2-7 seeds per plug cell. Cover seeds with thin layer of soil mix.
Plugs should be watered and fertilized using 20-20-20 fertilizer (concentrate
liquid mixed at a rate of 2 ounces per gallon, yielding a rate of 200ppm of
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).24
Soil or medium requirements
Use a mixture of sphagnum peat
moss, vermiculite, fine perlite, gypsum and dolomite
lime.24
Installation form
If time between sowing seeds into
plug flats and out-planting is limited, plugs should be planted with five
seedlings in each cell. Schmidt observed that this was the minimum amount of
seedlings sufficient to fill the root zone of each cell.24 Otherwise, seedlings can be transplanted into larger pots
and held over in greenhouse conditions for several months.
Planting density
Plant densely, 8-10 inch centers.24, 6
Care requirements after installation
Water seedlings with at least 2
liters of water on the day of planting 6 and/or water as needed
during the first six months after out planting.27
Rate of growth
Roemer’s fescue has been highly successful at establishing on a restoration sites in western Washington23, 27 (< 10% mortality of planted seedlings[30]). It is generally slow to establish but once established, has abundant growth of fine leaves that provide effective ground cover, and high yields of tough, fine, fibrous roots that control erosion and improve soil structure [31]