Overview
Elymus elymoides is a short-lived perennial bunchgrass that forms dense tufts 8–20 inches (20–50 cm) tall and 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) wide, with narrow, rolled blades that range from green to blue-gray. In late spring and summer it sends up narrow flowering spikes whose long, stiff awns spread outward as the seed ripens, creating a bristly seed head 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) long that resembles a squirrel's tail. At maturity the spike breaks apart, and each barbed segment, or floret, disperses on wind and animal fur; the sharp awns can lodge in the mouths and eyes of grazing animals. The species is a cool-season grass that greens up early, sets seed by midsummer, and goes dormant through heat and drought. It grows across sagebrush steppe, dry foothills, and open woodland in western North America, often one of the first grasses to recolonize burned or disturbed ground. Its deep, fibrous roots withstand drought and stabilize loose soil, though individual plants are short-lived and rely on frequent reseeding to persist. Squirreltail tolerates poor, rocky, and alkaline soils where many turf and pasture grasses fail.
Native Range
Elymus elymoides is native to western North America, ranging from British Columbia and Alberta south through the Great Basin and Rocky Mountains to California, Texas, and northern Mexico. It grows from sea level to over 11,000 feet (3,350 m) in dry grassland, shrub-steppe, and open conifer woodland.Suggested Uses
Used in dryland restoration, erosion control, and rangeland reseeding, especially on burned or eroded sites in the western states. It also fits low-water native and meadow plantings, though the barbed seed heads make it less suited to areas with frequent foot traffic or pets.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 1'8"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Flowering spikes emerge in late spring and early summer, roughly May through July depending on elevation. The awned seed heads ripen and turn straw-colored within a few weeks, then break apart to release the seed. As a wind-pollinated grass it has no petalled flowers.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Green to strawFoliage Description
Green to blue-grayGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight