Bluejoint vs Rocky Mountain Fescue - TreeTime.ca

Bluejoint vs Rocky Mountain Fescue

Calamagrostis canadensis

Festuca saximontana

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Bluejoint
Rocky Mountain Fescue

Bluejoint is a native perennial grass that forms tall, dense colonies. It is one of the most abundant grasses found in Canada and the United States. The extensive shallow root system and spreading rhizomes help stabilise soils, especially in wet meadows, marshes, and along streambanks.
It is a cool-season grass, growing most actively in spring and fall and slowing during the heat of summer. Seeds from its purple-tinged spikes feed birds and small mammals, and the plant itself provides forage for wildlife and livestock, though it does not tolerate heavy grazing. Its tall, dense growth also offers nesting habitat for wetland birds. With these combined values, Bluejoint is well-suited for naturalisation, riparian plantings, and habitat restoration projects.

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.

Bluejoint Quick Facts

Rocky Mountain Fescue Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - high
Spreading: seeds - low


Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: bluejoint grass, bluejoint reedgrass, canada blue joint, canada reedgrass, marsh reedgrass
Other Names: mountain fescue