Slender Wheatgrass
Elymus violaceus
- Native to:
- Canada, Greenland, Labrador, United States
iNaturalist: © kallummcdonald (iNaturalist #299999507)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Elymus
- Species:
- Elymus violaceus
- USDA Symbol:
- ELTR7
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Faronta albilinea, Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides), Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from base following fire; tolerates periodic burning typical of prairie and meadow systems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- moderate moisture
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny habitats
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold stratification for 10-56 days. In some cases, no pretreatment is required.
Establishment: There is some variation in the pre-treatment and temperature requirements across the protocols. The choice of protocol may depend on the specific conditions of the planting site and the resources available for pre-treatment.
Source: npn.rngr.net