Bottlebrush Grass Elymus hystrix
Bottlebrush Grass Elymus hystrix

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix)

from $3.50

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

Size:

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

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