Canada wild rye is a cool-season short-lived bunchgrass in the Poaceae family. It is widely distributed throughout North America including North Carolina but is most abundant in the central and Great Plains. It can be found in a variety of habitats including, dunes, woodlands, prairies, savannas and disturbed areas. This grass prefers full sun to half shade in moist well-drained soils. It will grow 2-5 feet tall and spread by short rhizomes 2 to 3 feet wide. The roots form a symbiotic relationship with a fungus and get about 25% of needed nutrients this way. It is moderately drought tolerant once established. Propagation is by division and seeds. Canda wild rye leaves are sheathed and up to 12 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and grow upright to arching near the top in clumps. The flowers grow on a spike 3 to 10 inches long with groups of 2 to 3 spikelets at each node. As the spikelets fall off they leave light tan awls. The awns are barbed which can cause eye damage for dogs so avoid planting where your pets play. This grass is used in restoration projects and stabilizing eroding areas. Home use includes using on banks and slopes and naturalized areas. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant; Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
USDA zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Rosulate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Lower leaves are formed in basal clumps of about 1 foot. Stem leaves are alternate, sheathed nearly hiding the stems and 12 inches long and 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Upper surface is green with a blue-green glacous undersurface.
Flower color
Green
Flower value
Good Dried
Flower form
Insignificant; Spike
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are formed on a 3-10 inch nodding spike with 2-3 spikelets at each node that are blue-green and glaucous. Flowering is late summer. Flowers are surrounded by a lemma (bract) and protected by an awl.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
As the flower spikelets fall off they leave the barbed awl and lemma that enclose the oval flattened grain. Seedheads are light tan when dried.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Culms are mostly hidden by sheaths and are light green, terete, and slightly glaucous.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
North America
Distribution
USA: AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY Canada: AB , MB , NB , NS , ON , QC , SK
Wildlife value
Larval host to the Zabulon skipper butterfly. Grazed by cattle, provides nesting materials, seeds eaten by birds and small mammals.
Attracts
Butterflies; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Achene
Uses (ethnobotany)
Seed were consumed by Gosiute Indians. Use for grazing livestock.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Rain Garden
Design feature
Small groups
Garden tags
#cool season grass #rain garden #low maintenance #ornamental grass #prairies #meadow #naturalized area #restoration projects #erosion control #slopes