Alkali Wildrye
Leymus simplex
- Native to:
- United States
Source: Wikimedia; Credit: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM https://www.flickr.com/people/26246711@N00,Source: Wikimedia; Credit: National Museum of Natural History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:National_Museum_of_Natural_History,Source: Wikimedia; Credit: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM https://www.flickr.com/people/26246711@N00,Source: Wikimedia; Credit: aspidoscelis,Source: Wikimedia; Credit: aspidoscelis,Source: Wikimedia; Credit: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM https://www.flickr.com/people/26246711@N00,Source: USDA; Credit: https://plants.usda.gov/
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Leymus
- Species:
- Leymus simplex
- USDA Symbol:
- LESI5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from deep rhizomes following fire. Common in fire-maintained sagebrush-steppe communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Common in coastal dunes and sandy plains
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification. Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI