Elymus hystrix

Common Names

Bottlebrush Grass, Eastern Bottlebrush Grass, Glumeless Wild Rye

Summary

Elymus hystrix, commonly called Bottlebrush Grass, is a tall, shade-tolerant native North American perennial bunchgrass that forms loose upright clumps in woodlands and woodland edges. It grows to roughly 2–5 ft in height and features greenish, bristly, bottlebrush-like inflorescences with spikelets typically arranged along the stem, blooming from June to August. Leaves are rough-textured, and the plant tolerates a range of soils from loam to dry to moist, thriving in partial sun to shade.

In cultivation, Bottlebrush Grass prefers sun to partial shade and can tolerate dry to moist soils; it is drought-tolerant once established and may self-seed in favorable conditions without aggressive spreading. It provides ornamental value through its distinctive bottlebrush blooms, offers erosion control, and supports wildlife as a host plant for the Northern Pearly Eye butterfly; it suits native plantings and woodland or savanna garden designs and blooms well in shade gardens.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

24-60 inches

Spread

12-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Partial Sun to Full Sun; tolerates Full Shade to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loamy soil.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil (moist but not soggy)

Soil pH

No single ideal pH; tolerant of acidic to alkaline soils, with a documented range of 6.0-7.0.

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Chartreuse, Straw color

Leaf Lifecycle

Semi-deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate growth rate, about 1–2 feet per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, butterflies