Bottlebrush Grass – A Profile On Elymus hystrix

One of the more identifiable grasses in North America, Bottlebrush Grass can easily be identified due to it’s wide spreading spikelets that resemble, well, a bottlebrush. Scientifically known as Elymus hystrix, it can grow up to 5′ tall depending on conditions, but doesn’t get overly thick. This grass is valuable to wildlife as forage (before the seedhead forms), hosts several insect larvae, and its seeds are eaten by rodents.

This grass is important in the fight against Japanese Stiltgrass (JSG), as it is one of our native plants that can rise above Japanese Stilt Grass, both in height and that it emerges earlier. It has added importance in that it can grow in full shade and a wide variety of moisture conditions. This allows it compete, and outcompete the dreaded JSG in shady areas under the canopy of a forest, where not too many plants can do so.

In this article:

Facts

• The botanical name, Elymus hystrix is new. It was formerly classified as Hystrix patula.
• The origin of it’s common name is fairly obvious, as its seedhead clearly resembles a bottlebrush
• A highly adaptable plant, you can grow it in part-sun to full shade, and slightly dry to moist conditions
• The leaves and culm are palatable to mammals and livestock until the ‘bottlebrush’ forms. Eating the bottlebrush can actually injure the animal.
• While most people don’t think of grasses as host plants, Bottlebrush Grass actually hosts one butterfly, several moths, and feeds other insects as well

Native Range

The native range of Bottlebrush Grass is the Eastern half of North America. From Arkansas to the Carolinas, and then North to Canada.

Reference Table

Scientific Name	Elymus hystrix
Common Name(s)	Bottlebrush Grass
Native Range, USDA Zone	Eastern North America, USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8
Bloom Time	June-September
Height	2-5′
Spacing / Spread	1′
Light Requirements	Part sun to full shade
Soil Types	Sandy loam to clay loam
Moisture	Moist to slightly dry
Fauna Associations / Larval Hosts	Hosts Northern Pearly Eye butterfly, several moths, leaf miners, aphids

Benefits

The primary benefits of Bottlebrush grass are:

• Value to wildlife (hosting caterpillars, and a food source)
• Adaptable growing conditions
• Pleasing shape / interesting seedheads that persist winter
• It’s ability to compete against Japanese Stiltgrass. Now, regarding the Japanese Stilt Grass – a healthy, established Bottlebrush grass plant will basically occupy a piece of ground. And that means that Stilt Grass cannot grow in that specific spot – so, you reduce the available land that it can colonize.

Identification and Characteristics

Stalk

The stalk (botanically known as a ‘culm’) is erect, round, and green. It is unbranched and generally grows 2-5′ tall depending on available moisture.

Leaf

Alternative linear-shaped leaves up to 12″ long by approximately 1/2″ wide ascend the culm and are widely spaced apart. They are light green in color and mostly smooth with entire margins^[2].

Flower

At the end of the culm is a raceme of spikelets. The overall length can vary from 2-9″ and is vertical. The spikelets occur in pairs and the seed is 1/4-1/2″ long, but there will be a long stem (awn) that extends 1-2″ beyond the spikelet^[2].

Root

The root system of Bottlebrush grass is fibrous.

Growing Conditions

For growing conditions, Bottlebrush grass prefers part-sun (<6 hours sun per day) to full shade. It can also grow in moist soil to slightly dry. It does best near forests where the soil will contain a significant amount of organic matter.

How to save seed

Saving seed from Bottlebrush grass is extremely easy. In late summer to early fall the spikelets will turn to a golden brown and dry out. Just run your hand along the stalk to strip the seed. You can store the seed for a year or two in an envelope in a cool dry place.

How to Grow Bottlebrush Grass from Seed

For germinating Bottlebrush Grass, there are no special requirements. But it will be better to start the seed in Spring, when soil temperatures are cooler. Now, even though you don’t need to stratify the seed, there is no reason you can’t winter sow Bottlebrush Grass seed, as that is what I like to do.

To start seed in containers

But to plant the seed, just fill a container with moist potting soil and press the seed into the soil with your thumb. Keep it moist and place the container in a location with morning sun and afternoon shade. Germination should occur within 2-3 weeks if daytime temperatures rise above 60-70F.

To direct sow Bottlebrush Grass seed

In a disturbed area in fall or very early Spring, simply scatter Bottlebrush grass seed. Walk on it so there is good contact with the soil.

Wildlife associated with Bottlebrush Grass

Pollinators

This grass hosts the Northern Pearly Eye caterpillar^[3][4][5] as well as several moths. Moths include the Scythridid Mtoh, Golden Borer, Elaschistid moths, and the Lanceolate Helcystogramma^[3].

Deer, rabbits, livestock

Deer and rabbits will eat the foliage early in the season, before the flowerheads develop. The awns (stems) attached to the spikelets (the bottlebrush part) are stiff and can poke the mouths and throat of mammals that eat them^[7]. Once the racemes of spikelets have developed, the plant is deer/rabbit/livestock resistant.

Where you can buy Bottlebrush Grass

Bottlebrush grass is not typically sold in nurseries, as it isn’t thought of as an ornamental grass. But it can sometimes be purchased at specialty nurseries that deal in Native Plants. You can find native plant nurseries near you on our interactive map.

Where to buy seeds

We have ordered a variety of native flower seeds from Everwilde Farms, which you can order right from Amazon through our link on our RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS PAGE. (We may earn a small commission when you purchase through our links, at no cost to you. This helps support our website.) Please note that Everwilde still uses the old scientific name, Hystrix patula, rather than it’s current classification, Elymus hystrix.

Uses of Bottlebrush grass

Garden Uses

Bottlebrush grass can be used as an ornamental in a woodland, rain garden, or shade garden. It is easiest to either buy seed in bulk and direct sow, or grow in containers and transplant to their final location. Note that due to deer/rabbits browsing this grass, you should either plan on protecting the young plants with Liquid Fence or just transplant in Fall after seedheads have developed.

Companion Plants

Bottlebrush grass grows well among other shade loving plants such as Bigleaf Aster, Hairy Wood Mint, Short’s Aster, and grasses like Pennsylvania Sedge.

Fight against invasive species

Bottlebrush grass is one species that can be used to compete with Japanese Stilt Grass in shady locations. This is but one component of the fight, which is to establish perennial natives while removing the Japanese Stiltgrass. But it is one of the many plants I’m using and trying to establish in the forest behind my home.

Native American Uses

The Iroquois tribe used to make a decoction of seedheads that they would soak corn seeds in before planting.^[6]

Final Thoughts

This grass is an important component to a healthy ecosystem in Eastern North America. Interesting to look at, it serves wildlife in several ways. It’s ability to help fight against Japanese Stiltgrass also means it should be part of any restoration project where full-shade tolerant natives are required.

Find more native grasses here