Canada Wild RyeElymus canadensis
Native perennial bunchgrass that is an early successional species (cool season) with erect or arching seedheads and flat, wide leaves. Canada wild rye is a short-lived, bunch, nurse crop that is suitable as a cover crop for restorations of floodplains and prairies or for rapid growth to bind exposed soil that later gives way to climax grasses as a successional species.
USDA symbol: ELCA4
General Information
| Plant Type | Grass |
|---|---|
| Height | 4 feet |
| Light Exposure | Sun, Part Sun |
| Soil Moisture | Dry |
| Bloom Color | Green, Brown |
Tolerances
| Flooding / Inundation Tolerance | Moderate |
|---|---|
| General Resilience | 6 |
| Salt Tolerance | Medium |
| Stress Tolerance | Drought Tolerant, Fire Tolerant, General Disturbance |
Pollinator Value: Medium
| Bloom Months | July to October |
|---|---|
| Larval Host of | Moths |
| Specific Pollinators Hosted | Peoria tetradella |
Project Planning
| Project Type | Boulevard, Erosion Control, Restoration, Shoreline Buffer, Upland Buffer |
|---|---|
| Coefficient of Conservatism | 4 |
| Herbivore Sensitivity | Medium |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Rate of Spread | Slow |
| Soil Stabilization | Shallow |
| Vegetative Reproduction | Absent |
Range
| County | Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine |
|---|---|
| Ecoregion | Driftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains |
| Approximate Eco Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands |