Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix)
Bottlebrush Grass is an attractive and indispensable mid-sized grass for the woodland garden. It is the host plant to the Northern Pearly Eye and 5 other butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.info). Use this grass to add texture and winter interest to shady areas. If you are lucky, this plant will do some self-seeding and form a small colony in your shady area.
Photo credit: Matt Lavin
Bottlebrush Grass is an attractive and indispensable mid-sized grass for the woodland garden. It is the host plant to the Northern Pearly Eye and 5 other butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.info). Use this grass to add texture and winter interest to shady areas. If you are lucky, this plant will do some self-seeding and form a small colony in your shady area.
Photo credit: Matt Lavin
Bottlebrush Grass is an attractive and indispensable mid-sized grass for the woodland garden. It is the host plant to the Northern Pearly Eye and 5 other butterflies and moths in our area (illinoiswildflower.info). Use this grass to add texture and winter interest to shady areas. If you are lucky, this plant will do some self-seeding and form a small colony in your shady area.
Photo credit: Matt Lavin
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Partial-Light Shade
Soil Moisture: Medium – Medium/dry
Height: 2.5-5 feet
Plant Spacing: 1-1.5 feet
Bloom Time: June-August
Bloom Color: Greenish white
Advantages: Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant, Great Landscaping plant
Host Plant: Northern Pearly Eye and 5 other species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (illinoiswildflower.info)
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
