Elymus hystrix, Bottlebrush Grass
PS - Shade, Zone 3, Blooms June - August, 3.5’ x 1.5-2’, Moisture Medium to medium-dry, deer resistant
A native grass that does well in the shade, check it out.
Considered a keystone plant in our Eastern Temporate Region by some growers. It's a staple in woodland/savanna restoration creating healthy, woodland understories. If you have a shady garden and are looking to supplement plantings under taller trees, this grass might work for you!
Bottlebrush Grass, Elymus hystrix or Hystrix patula, is a cool-season grass, which actively grows during the spring and fall when soil temperatures are cooler. Bottlebrush Grass provides texture and interest in shaded areas.
We planted it in our Rose Garden (2024) that is shady in the morning, some afternoon sun. It reached 3.5’ in June 2025. The waving seedheads are unusual adding interest to a shadier site.
It is a larval host to the Northern Pearly Eye (Lethe anthedon) and several specialist moths. Provides seeds for the birds!
Elymus hystrix, Bottlebrush Grass
PS - Shade, Zone 3, Blooms June - August, 3.5’ x 1.5-2’, Moisture Medium to medium-dry, deer resistant
A native grass that does well in the shade, check it out.
Considered a keystone plant in our Eastern Temporate Region by some growers. It's a staple in woodland/savanna restoration creating healthy, woodland understories. If you have a shady garden and are looking to supplement plantings under taller trees, this grass might work for you!
Bottlebrush Grass, Elymus hystrix or Hystrix patula, is a cool-season grass, which actively grows during the spring and fall when soil temperatures are cooler. Bottlebrush Grass provides texture and interest in shaded areas.
We planted it in our Rose Garden (2024) that is shady in the morning, some afternoon sun. It reached 3.5’ in June 2025. The waving seedheads are unusual adding interest to a shadier site.
It is a larval host to the Northern Pearly Eye (Lethe anthedon) and several specialist moths. Provides seeds for the birds!
Photo credits - Photo #1 - Prairie Moon, Photo #2 - Minnesota Wildflowers
