Family: Poaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad climate suitability, and elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Other Festuca species are invasive
- Shade tolerant
- Tolerates many soil types
- May form dense cover in certain habitats (ability to exclude other vegetation unknown)
- Reproduces by seeds
- Reaches maturity in second year
- Seeds dispersed by wind, possibly by water, and intentionally by people
- Gaps in biological and ecological information may reduce accuracy of risk prediction
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of invasiveness or naturalization, but no evidence of widespread introduction outside native range
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable to grazing animals (particularly horses)
- Valued restoration and ornamental grass within native range
- Not reported to spread vegetatively