Characteristics:

A native to the eastern United States and Canada, this bunchgrass forms loose upright tufts of narrow-bladed, rough-textured, medium green leaves about a foot long. Flowering spikelets form in the summer and appear to float high above the lower foliage. With their spaciousness between florets, bristly nature,  long awns, and lack of glumes these 9 to 10 inch flower heads resemble bottle brushes, hence their common name. They start their season green, then turn white, and then brown as they mature. 

Etymology:

Their genus name Elymus is Greek for “type of grain”. Their epithet, hystrix, is latin for “hedgehog” as their flower heads resemble the quills of a hedgehog. 

Cultivation:

Easily grown from seed, and easily reseeds itself, elymus hystrix does very well in medium to dry well drained soils. They can survive in various soil conditions and their root systems make them an ideal plant for preventing erosion. They enjoy full sun to partial shade, and can be found in rocky areas near streams and in woods.

Elymus hystrix

Bottle Brush Grass

Type: ornamental grass

Family: Poaceae

Height: 2.5’ to 3’

Spread: 1’ to 1.5’

Bloom: Green to brown, September to October

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: dry to medium

Propagation: seeds

Attracts: Birds

Tolerates: drought, heavy shade, dry soil, erosion, Black Walnut, air pollution

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