Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Cactus
  
Grass
  
Origin
Central America, South America, Brazil
  
World/Pandemic, North America, Europe
  
Types
Not Available
  
Lustrous Creeping Red Fescue, Rubra trichophylla, Rubra rubra
  
Habitat
Desert, Temperate Regions
  
Wide range of ecological site
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15
  
2-7
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
  
7 - 1
  
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Upright/Erect
  
Mat-forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Red, Orange, Salmon
  
Not Available
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Non Fruiting Plant
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Not Available
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Not Available
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Not Available
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
  
Tan
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Succulent
  
Grass like
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Not Available
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Average
  
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
  
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Not Available
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
  
From Rhizomes
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Reduce watering in winter
  
Needs 2-3 times watering per week
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Average
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
No pruning needed, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Prune grass to maintain level
  
Fertilizers
Fertilize the soil before planting, slow-release fertilizers
  
fertilize in fall
  
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Stem Rot, fungus, Mealybugs, Spider mites
  
Billbugs, Dollar spot, Pythium blight, Red blotch, Red thread, White grubs
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Not Available
  
Flowers
Yes
  
Insignificant
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Bold
  
Fine
  
Foliage Sheen
Not Available
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Hummingbirds
  
Bugs
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Asthma
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
  
Ground Cover
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Erosion control, Wildlife
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
No Medicinal Use
  
No Medicinal Use
  
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
  
Whole plant
  
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping, Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
  
Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
  
Botanical Name
Cleistocactus strausii
  
FESTUCA rubra
  
Common Name
silver torch or wooly torch
  
Red Fescue
  
In Hindi
Cleistocactus strausii
  
Red Fescue
  
In German
Cleistocactus strausii
  
Rotschwingel
  
In French
Cleistocactus strausii
  
fétuque rouge
  
In Spanish
Cleistocactus strausii
  
festuca roja
  
In Greek
cleistocactus strausii
  
κόκκινο Φεστούκα
  
In Portuguese
Cleistocactus strausii
  
Red festuca
  
In Polish
cleistocastus strausii
  
Kostrzewa czerwona
  
In Latin
Cleistocactus strausii
  
Red Fescue
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Liliopsida
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Cyperales
  
Family
Cactaceae
  
Poaceae
  
Genus
Cleistocactus
  
Festuca
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Tribe
Trichocereeae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Cactoideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available