Lytle, Melody
Elymus canadensis L.
Canada wild rye, Canadian wildrye, Prairie wildrye, Nodding wildrye
Poaceae (Grass Family)
The erect or arching stems of this cool-seaon, short-lived
perennial grow 2-4 ft. tall. Terminal, spike-shaped seedheads of oat-like seeds with long,
bristly awns, cause the stems to bend and droop.
Canada wild rye establishes easily, providing quick initial cover. It is a versatile, cool-season plant, requiring little to no maintenance. It displays heavy, whiskery, nodding seed heads in early fall.
Image Gallery:
19 photo(s) available
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun
Distribution
USA: AZ , AR , CA , CO , CT , DE , ID , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MO , MT , NE , NV , NH , NJ , NM , NY , NC , ND , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SD , TN , TX , UT , VT , VA , WA , WV , WI , WY , DC
Canada: AB ,
MB ,
NB ,
NS ,
ON ,
QC ,
SK Native Distribution: Que. to B.C., s. to NC, TX, AZ & e. of the Cascades to n. CA. Absent from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Most common in the northern reaches of its range and at high altitudes.
Native Habitat: Grasslands, ravines, depressions, verges, open woodlands, ditches, fencerows
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Moist, well-drained, porous, acid or calcareous sand, loam, clay, or limestone
Conditions Comments: Prefers a moist soil. Can take half a day of shade. More drought-tolerant than Western Wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii); less drought-tolerant than Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha). Requires more sun than Virginia Wildrye (Elymus virginicus).
Benefit
Use Ornamental: A good bunchgrass for partly shady prairie plantings.
Use Wildlife: Nesting material, Seeds-granivorous birds, Seeds-Small mammals. Fair forage.
Use Food: Seed consumed by Gosiute Indians.
Use Other: Very palatable and nutritious, readily consumed by livestock, providing good early spring cattle grazing. Cut seed stalks used in dried arrangements.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: For Zabulon skipper butterfly
Deer Resistant: High
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Elymus canadensis is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Last Update: 2012-12-07
