Festuca rubra

FamilyGenus: Festucanative in Germany

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Species

interact

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Interactions

documented

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Host relationships

Species

About this species

Festuca rubra (red fescue) is a native wild grass of Great Britain, common in meadows, pastures and grassy places. It forms dense tufts of fine, broad leaves and produces flowering stems from June to August. It thrives in sunny sites with fresh, moderately moist soil and tolerates slight salinity and low disturbance.

Ecological network

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Larval host

Ecological significance

Festuca rubra contributes to the structure of species-rich meadows and arable margins, helping to maintain sward density in low-disturbance grasslands. It can persist in slightly saline conditions, supporting vegetation cover in such settings.

Annual cycle

Flowering occurs from June to August. Foliage persists throughout the year in mild conditions, with fresh growth appearing in spring.

Safety note

This grass is considered non-toxic and safe around children.

Standort & Merkmale

Light

Sonne

Moisture

Frisch (Mäßig feucht)

Soil

—

Flowering period

Jun – Aug

Bioregion

Continental

Growth form

Gras

Woodiness

Nicht verholzt

Leaf type

Breitblättrig

Plant height

0.357 m

Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)

Pflege & Anbau

**Light:** Full sun.

**Soil:** Fresh, moderately moist, well-drained soil; tolerates slight salinity.

A low-maintenance, wild grass best suited to open, sunny meadow or grassland settings where disturbance is minimal.

Scientific profile

This broad-leaved grass typically reaches about 36 cm in height and produces slender, non-woody stems. Native across Great Britain, it is a characteristic component of fat meadows and intensively managed grasslands, also occurring in arable weed communities. It requires full sun and fresh, moderately moist soil, showing moderate tolerance of slightly saline conditions. The flowering period extends from June to August, with wind-pollinated florets. Its ecology reflects a preference for open, low-disturbance habitats with good light levels.

Host relationships

3 species use this plant as a host

Melanargia galathea Hipparchia semele Mythimna conigera

Sources & data origin

•Cook et al. (2025) UK Butterfly & Moth Traits (DOI: 10.5285/dbc7cc17-cbbd-49dd-bab4-8e8855768d66)

•FloraWeb / BfN

•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)

•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)

•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)

•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)

•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)

All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →