| Botanical Name |
Elymus canadensis |
| Common Name |
Canada wildrye, Canadian wildrye, Nodding wildrye |
| Family |
Poaceae – Grass |
| Description |
This native, cool-season, bunch grass prefers moist, open, sandy soil. It is a perennial with smooth, and erect or arching stems. These stems rise well above the foliage. The blades are thin and flat. It grows throughout New Mexico, the rest of the U.S. and in Canada. |
| Mature Size |
3’ – 4’ |
| Bloom |
Small yellow flowers appear in the spring. The terminal seed head is thick, bristly, heavy, nodding or drooping and 8” – 10” long. Long bristly awns (1” – 1 ½”) become divergently curved when dry. |
| Interesting Facts |
The genus name comes from the Greek word, elymos, a cereal. Ergot, a plant disease caused by a fungus, occurs in Elymus species, especially in wet years. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses |
Elymus canadensis is a good forage plant for livestock. Seeds have been used as food by Native Americans. It provides good habitat for small mammals and birds. Birds eat the seeds and use foliage for nesting material. Cut seed stalks are used in dried floral arrangements. Seeds are available online. |
