Ricegrass: A Hardy Native Grass That Wildlife Actually Use
If you’re looking for a native grass that pulls its weight in the wildlife department, meet ricegrass (Oryzopsis). This unassuming perennial might not be the showiest plant in your garden, but it’s definitely one of the most useful for local critters. While many native plants get all the glory for feeding butterflies and hummingbirds, ricegrass quietly does the important work of feeding the bigger players in your backyard ecosystem.
What Makes Ricegrass Special
Ricegrass belongs to that wonderful category of grass-like plants that includes not just true grasses, but also sedges, rushes, and their relatives. As a perennial, it’s in it for the long haul – plant it once, and it’ll keep coming back year after year. Think of it as the reliable friend of the native plant world: maybe not the life of the party, but always there when you need it.
Where Ricegrass Calls Home
This grass has an impressive native range that spans both Canada and the lower 48 states. You’ll find it naturally occurring from coast to coast, thriving in places like Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and stretching all the way down to states like Colorado, Connecticut, and everywhere in between. From the Maritime provinces to the Prairie provinces, and from Maine to Montana, ricegrass has made itself at home across a huge swath of North America.
The Wildlife Connection
Here’s where ricegrass really shines. While it might look like just another grass, it’s actually providing some serious sustenance for wildlife:
- Large animals get 5-10% of their diet from ricegrass – that’s a pretty significant contribution to feeding deer, elk, and other big herbivores
- Small mammals rely on it for 2-5% of their diet, which might not sound like much, but every bit counts when you’re a tiny creature
- Birds also use it for 2-5% of their diet, particularly ground-feeding species that appreciate those nutritious seeds
While ricegrass doesn’t provide much cover for wildlife, its real value is as a food source. Those seeds are like tiny power packs of nutrition for everything from mice to moose.
Growing Ricegrass in Your Garden
The honest truth? We don’t have all the growing details nailed down for ricegrass, which is pretty typical for many of our wonderful native grasses that haven’t gotten the horticultural attention they deserve. But here’s what we can tell you:
As a native grass, ricegrass is likely to be fairly low-maintenance once established. Most native grasses prefer well-draining soil and can handle a range of light conditions from full sun to partial shade. They’re typically drought-tolerant once their root systems develop, which can take a year or two.
Should You Plant Ricegrass?
If you’re creating a wildlife-friendly native garden, ricegrass deserves consideration. It’s particularly valuable if you:
- Want to support a variety of wildlife, from songbirds to large mammals
- Are creating a prairie or meadow-style planting
- Need a reliable, low-maintenance perennial grass
- Want to use truly native plants in your region
The main drawback is that we don’t have detailed cultivation information readily available, which means you might need to do some experimenting. But isn’t that part of the fun of native gardening?
The Bottom Line
Ricegrass might not win any beauty contests, but it’s doing important work in the ecosystem. If you can find seeds or plants from a reputable native plant source, it’s worth trying in a naturalistic planting. Your local wildlife will thank you, even if your neighbors don’t immediately understand why you’re so excited about what looks like just grass. Trust us – sometimes the most valuable plants are the ones that don’t need to show off.
