Blue Wild Rye (Elymus glauca)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −28.9 °C
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils, preferring a sandy soil and a sunny position.
Propagation
Seed - sow mid spring in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. If the supply of seed is limited, it can also be sown in mid spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in summer[K] Division in spring or summer. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Edible uses
Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a flour and used to make bread. Very fiddly to use, the seed is small and difficult to extract[K].
Material uses
The leaves are used for making mats, rope, paper etc. Often planted near the coast to stabilize sand dunes.
Habitat
Moist or dry open thickets and shores.
Native range
N. America - Ontario and Michigan to British Columbia, south to Colorado and California.