plant named ‘Perfect Edging’

Botanical classification:(Schreb.); ((Schreb.) Darbysh.).

Variety denomination: ‘Perfect Edging’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct plant of blue fescue, botanically known as‘Perfect Edging’ and will be referred to hereinafter also by solely its cultivar name, ‘Perfect Edging’ and the “new plant.”

‘Perfect Edging’ was discovered by the inventor as a whole plant mutation of an unnamed Tall Fescue,, at a private garden in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania. Evaluations were performed in a full-sun trial garden at the same garden and the new plant was subsequently assigned the cultivar name ‘Perfect Edging’. The plant was propagated by division at the same private garden as early as 2019. The resultant asexually propagated divisions have been stable and identical to the original plant in successive asexual propagations.

No plants of‘Perfect Edging’ have been offered for sale or sold in this country or anywhere in the world under this or any other name prior to the filing of this application, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

‘Perfect Edging’ differs from its parent as well as all other Tall Fescue known to the inventor in a combination of traits. The following characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Perfect Edging’ from all other blue fescue plants known to the inventor:

The nearest comparison plants known to the inventor are the seed parent plant,‘Glow Sticks’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,648,‘Casca11’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,307, and‘Elijah Blue’ (not patented).

Compared to the parent, the new cultivar has leaves that are variegated with creamy margins and dark green centers, and the parent has leaves that are dark green without creamy margins. Compared with ‘Glow Sticks’ is taller in foliage and panicles and the foliage is dark green with a subtle central white stripe. Compared to ‘Elijah Blue’ the new plant is taller and wider in habit, more vigorous with broader variegated leaves. Compared to the cultivar ‘Casca11’ the new plant is taller and wider in habit, more vigorous with broader, less bluish, variegated leaves.

The following is a detailed description of‘Perfect Edging’ as observed in a display garden at a nursery in Zeeland, MI. The following description is of a two-year-old plant of ‘Perfect Edging’ in a full-sun display garden in Zeeland, Michigan with limited supplemental fertilizer and irrigation as needed and without any pinching or plant growth regulators. The new plant has not been observed under all possible environments, and the phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, but without any change in the genotype. The color descriptions are in accordance with the 2015 edition of The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where common dictionary color terms are used.