Church’s Wildrye: A Rare Native Grass Worth Protecting
If you’re passionate about native gardening and conservation, Church’s wildrye (Elymus churchii) might just capture your heart—but it comes with an important responsibility. This perennial grass is a true gem of the American Southeast, but its rarity makes it a plant that requires thoughtful consideration before adding to your landscape.
What Is Church’s Wildrye?
Church’s wildrye is a native perennial grass that belongs to the diverse family of grasses and grass-like plants. Unlike some of its more common cousins, this species has maintained a relatively low profile in the gardening world, partly due to its limited natural range and conservation concerns.
Where Does It Naturally Grow?
This special grass calls the south-central and southeastern United States home, naturally occurring in Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. However, don’t expect to stumble upon it during your next nature walk—Church’s wildrye has become increasingly uncommon throughout its native range.
Conservation Status: Handle with Care
Here’s where things get serious, fellow gardeners. Church’s wildrye carries a global conservation status of S2S3, indicating it’s considered imperiled to vulnerable. The situation is even more concerning in individual states:
- Alabama: S1 status (critically imperiled)
- Arkansas: S2 status (imperiled)
What does this mean for you as a gardener? If you’re considering adding Church’s wildrye to your landscape, you should only source it from reputable native plant nurseries that can guarantee responsibly collected or propagated material. Never collect seeds or plants from wild populations.
Why Grow Church’s Wildrye?
Despite the conservation concerns—or perhaps because of them—there are compelling reasons to include this grass in appropriate native landscapes:
- Conservation impact: Growing Church’s wildrye helps preserve genetic diversity and supports conservation efforts
- Native ecosystem support: As a native grass, it provides habitat and food sources for local wildlife
- Low maintenance: Once established, this perennial grass requires minimal care
- Drought tolerance: Well-suited to areas with variable rainfall
Growing Conditions and Care
Church’s wildrye thrives in USDA hardiness zones 6-9, making it suitable for much of the southeastern and south-central regions. Here’s what this grass prefers:
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Well-draining soils; adaptable to various soil types
- Water: Drought tolerant once established, but benefits from occasional watering during extended dry periods
- Maintenance: Minimal once established; may benefit from occasional removal of dead material
Planting Tips
If you’ve sourced responsibly collected seeds or plants, here’s how to give Church’s wildrye the best start:
- Plant seeds in fall or early spring when natural moisture is more reliable
- Prepare the planting area by removing competing vegetation
- Plant seeds at a depth of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch
- Keep the soil consistently moist until germination and establishment
- Be patient—native grasses often take time to establish strong root systems
Landscape Uses
Church’s wildrye works beautifully in:
- Native plant gardens focused on regional species
- Prairie restoration projects
- Naturalized landscapes
- Erosion control on slopes
- Wildlife habitat gardens
The Bottom Line
Church’s wildrye represents both an opportunity and a responsibility for native plant gardeners. While it’s a valuable addition to appropriate landscapes, its rarity demands that we approach it with respect and care. If you choose to grow this special grass, make sure you’re sourcing it responsibly and contributing to conservation rather than exploitation.
Remember, every rare native plant we successfully establish in our gardens is a small victory for biodiversity and conservation. Church’s wildrye may be uncommon, but with thoughtful gardeners like you, it doesn’t have to disappear entirely from our landscapes.
