Worth knowing:
The evergreen Blue Mountain Grass belongs to the sweet grass family, and is a blue, tuft-growing ornamental grass. It grows rather compact, hemispherical and narrow with a height of about 30 cm. It is especially suited for cultivation as herbaceous perennial plant, where it creates with its intense blue colour a beautiful contrast to the blossoming of other plants. It can also be neatly arranged in small groups in rockeries. The Blue Mountain Grass doesn’t develop sprouts, and is therefore suited for bordering flowerbeds or pathways as well. Even as a solitary tub plant it shows to advantage with its solid growth form and expressive coloration.
Natural Location:
The Blue Mountain Grass has its natural habitat in South West Europe and northern Italy, where it grows in mountainous areas.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. Gently press the seeds into moist potting compost that ideally contains about 25% of perlite for a better permeation. Cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out, but don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20° and 25° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. The best way to do so, is by daily using the water sprayer to moisten the soil. Usually it takes about two to three weeks until germination.
Place:
The Blue Mountain Grass prefers a warm and sunny place. When kept in a half-shaded spot, the blue coloring of the leaves will be less intensive.
Care:
The more sparse and dry its location, the longer the Blue Mountain Grass lasts, and the more intensive will its foliage coloring be. Strong and solidified soils are not an option for the cultivation of the Blue Mountain Grass and should be mixed with sand, grit or gravel to make the earth more permeable, otherwise the plant will soon become green. Fertilizing is not necessary at all. Yellowed flowers should be cut off regularly. If matured plants grow bald in the middle, they can easily be split in early spring and planted again.
During the winter:
During winter, you can bind the stalks and leaves together to protect the grass from wind and snow load. Only for the first two years you might want to frost-protect the plant with a layer of brushwood or foliage around the root area. When covered with hoarfrost, grasses like the Blue Mountain Grass really make a beautiful sight. In early spring, the plant is to be cut back to around 10 cm of height, and will then sprout again in all its glory.
Picture credits:
- © © Maria Slominski - About © : Contact SAFLAX - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
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