Species › Plants › Idaho Fescue

Idaho Fescue

Festuca idahoensis

CommonPlant
Illustration of Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis)

Idaho Fescue is a fine-leaved bunchgrass that is one of the dominant grasses of Pacific Northwest and intermountain grasslands. Its bluish-green tufts provide year-round forage for deer, elk, and pronghorn. It is a climax grass species that indicates high-quality, undisturbed rangeland when present.

Habitat
Grasslands, shrub-steppe, and open forests of the Pacific Northwest and intermountain West
Diet
Grazed by elk, deer, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep; seeds eaten by sparrows
How common
Common

Best time to see a Idaho Fescue

The best time to see a Idaho Fescue is April–June, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 655 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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