Elymus hystrix
Bottlebrush Grass
General
Native cool season grass, with distinctive seed heads. Streambanks and dry to moist fields and meadows. Plant in slightly shaded woodlands. Principal growth occurs during the cooler months of spring and early fall.
Plant Description
Leaves (1/2 inch wide, 12 inch long) are occassionally twisted at the stem so the underside of the leaves faces up. Leaf tips droop. Look for a membranous ligule (tissue that arises out of the stem at the junction of the leaf and the stem) and auricles that clasp around the stem, (auricles are arm like projections that can clasp the stem and form the dividing line between the leaf and the stem). The flowering stem produces “spikelets” that are located perpendicular to the stem and these spikelets (3-4 inches long) are not large in quantity but within develops the seed.
Height (ft)
2-4 ft
Soil moisture
Medium to dry
Soil types
Coarse, medium and dry
Wetland indicator
UPL
Shade tolerance
Part sun to full shade
Bloom color
Green-purple
Bloom period
Late spring to early summer
Drought tolerance
Medium
Salinity tolerance
None
Range
ME south to Virginia, west to AS, north to MN then east to New England.
Kartesz, J.T. 2024. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP) [website http://bonap.org/]
Additional Information
According to the Native Plant Trust, this species is often found next to Acer saccharum (sugar maple), Tilia americana (american basswood) and Fraxinus americana (white ash.) According to Black Squirrel Farms in Yates County, NY, this species has been used as ceremonial medicine by the Haudenosaunee.