Cutleaf Anemone vs Rocky Mountain Fescue - TreeTime.ca

Cutleaf Anemone vs Rocky Mountain Fescue

Festuca saximontana

Anemone multifida

CUSTOM GROW

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Rocky Mountain Fescue
Cutleaf Anemone

Rocky Mountain Fescue is a native perennial bunchgrass recognized for its fine-textured clumps and adaptability to harsh environments. It grows well in dry, rocky, and nutrient-poor soils and is highly cold-tolerant, making it well-suited to both prairie and alpine habitats. Its fibrous root system contributes to soil stability and helps reduce erosion on slopes and shallow soils.
Widespread across western and northern North America, Rocky Mountain Fescue is an important component of many prairie and alpine ecosystems. It contributes ground cover and organic matter that support soil function, provides cover for small wildlife, and offers moderate forage for grazing animals. Hardy and versatile, it is used in ecological restoration, naturalization, and habitat enhancement projects, particularly in upland and alpine landscapes.

Pacific Anemone is a native perennial wildflower with buttercup-like blooms. The flowers can be a variety of colors, including white, pink, and dark red. The deeply cut leaves add a unique texture to the landscape. The flowers bloom from May to August, providing early-season nectar and pollen for insects. They attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

As the flowers fade, they become fluffy white seed heads, which birds often use in their nests. They can spread readily through self-seeding; to limit their spread, regular deadheading is recommended. Tolerant of drought and poor soils, the Pacific Anemone is well suited for wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Rocky Mountain Fescue Quick Facts

Cutleaf Anemone Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: white, pink, or deep red
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Seeds: fluffy, silky seedheads
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, YT, NT, NU
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: mountain fescue
Other Names: birds-foot anemone, cut leaf anemone, cut-leaved anemone, red windflower