Vulpia myuros Seeds | Rattail Fescue
LATIN NAME: Vulpia myuros
COMMON NAME: Rattail Fescue
Plant Profile
Among the ornamental and useful plants raised from seed, Rattail Fescue (Vulpia myuros) stands out as a grass in the grass family. Rattail fescue sweeps fine, bristly panicles with narrow, rolled leaves, and the whole grass carries the fine, light look of the dry grassland. It is a grass of open, sunny, light, free-draining ground. While it flowers, it feeds a quiet procession of bees and hoverflies. For the small amount of care it requires, the return is remarkable.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Vulpia myuros, a representative of the grass family with clear practical value. Little about its garden performance is mysterious; it has been grown and observed for a very long time.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Rattail Fescue earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Rattail fescue is a fine, quiet grass of dry grassland and study collection. It is a fine, quiet grass of open, sunny, light, free-draining ground. Fescue seeds grow well in a light, sandy mix on a bright sill, watered sparingly. Establishment is uncomplicated, and afterwards ordinary care suffices.
Like the best garden herbs, it rewards growers twice: once in the garden with scent and pollinators, and again in the home as a traditional household herb.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Rattail Fescue, and the process is uncomplicated. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Rattail Fescue repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
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