Elymus hystrix (bottlebrush grass)

Eastern bottlebrush grass is one of the most shade-tolerant native grasses, which makes it a good choice for woodland gardens under oak trees or other trees that allow some light to reach the ground. It is a cool season grass, meaning that it grows actively during the spring and fall when temperatures are cool. It grows to about 3' tall and 1.5' wide in full sun to part shade and dry to medium soil moisture conditions. The seeds and cover attracts birds, and it is tolerate of drought and dry shade. This grass is at its most beautiful in June and July. Its stunning seed heads resembling bottle-washing brushes provide textural interest in shade garden. If you don't want seedlings, remove the seeds before they shatter in fall, which will leave you with beautiful green basal foliage to enjoy in the Winter. If your garden soil is acidic or low in calcium, you will need to plant bottlebrush near shells or concrete. Cut old foliage and seed stalks to the ground in late winter before new growth begins. 

Bottlebrush grass is native to the eastern U.S. and Canada. It is usually found in rocky, wet, and partially shaded habitat such as near rivers, creeks or woods. It is native throughout Maryland but only in soils with good calcium availability, which makes it uncommon in the Coastal Plain, where soils tend to be nutrient-poor. Several species of butterflies, moths, beetles, and flies use bottlebrush as a host plant. Birds value the seeds, which are actually edible grains related to rye. Mice feed on the seeds. it is a larval host to the northern pearly-eye butterfly. Highly deer resistant. 

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