Wildrye: A Native Grass Worth Considering for Your Garden
If you’re looking to add authentic native character to your landscape, wildrye (Elymus ×ebingeri) might just be the unsung hero your garden needs. This perennial grass represents one of nature’s own collaborations—a naturally occurring hybrid that brings the best of both parent species to your backyard.
What Makes This Wildrye Special?
Elymus ×ebingeri belongs to the graminoid family, which is a fancy way of saying it’s a grass or grass-like plant. As a hybrid species (notice that × in the scientific name), this wildrye combines traits from its parent species to create something uniquely adapted to North American conditions.
This perennial grass is authentically North American, with native populations scattered across both Canada and the lower 48 states. You’ll find established populations growing naturally in Ontario, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin—a distribution that speaks to its adaptability across different climatic conditions.
Why Consider Wildrye for Your Garden?
Native grasses like this wildrye offer several compelling reasons to earn a spot in your landscape:
- Authentic regional character that connects your garden to local ecosystems
- Perennial growth means it comes back year after year once established
- Natural adaptation to local climate conditions in its native range
- Supports native plant communities and biodiversity
The Challenge: Limited Availability
Here’s where things get a bit tricky. As a naturally occurring hybrid, Elymus ×ebingeri isn’t commonly found in nurseries or seed catalogs. This rarity in cultivation means that specific growing information and availability can be quite limited compared to more popular native grasses.
Growing Conditions and Care
While specific cultivation details for this hybrid are scarce, we can make educated assumptions based on its geographic distribution and grass family characteristics:
- Likely adapted to the climate conditions of the Great Lakes region and northeastern United States
- Probably prefers well-draining soils typical of many native grasses
- Should be hardy in zones where it naturally occurs (roughly zones 3-6 based on distribution)
- May prefer full sun to partial shade conditions
Alternative Native Grass Options
If you’re having trouble finding Elymus ×ebingeri, consider these more readily available native wildrye relatives:
- Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis)
- Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus)
- Bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix)
These cousins offer similar native appeal and are more commonly available through native plant nurseries and seed suppliers.
The Bottom Line
Elymus ×ebingeri represents the fascinating world of naturally occurring plant hybrids in our native landscapes. While its limited commercial availability makes it challenging to obtain, it serves as a reminder of the complex relationships within native plant communities. If you’re passionate about growing truly local genetics and happen to find this hybrid available through specialized native plant sources, it could make a unique addition to a naturalistic landscape or native plant collection.
For most gardeners, starting with its more available wildrye relatives will provide similar ecological benefits while being much easier to source and grow successfully.
