Great Basin WildRye (Leynus cubereus)

$12.99 Save $-12.99
54 in stock

Great Basin Wildrye (Leymus cinereus) | $12.99 | 4-inch pot

🌿 Quick Facts: • Native Status: Native to western North America — native to Colorado • USDA Growing Zones: 4-9 • Height: 3-6 feet (to 8 feet with moisture) • Spread: 18-36 inches (bunching, non-spreading)

🌺 Bloom Details: • Season: Late spring to midsummer; seed ripens late summer • Colors: Green maturing to tan & straw-gold • Flower Type: Tall, narrow, erect spike-like heads above blue-gray foliage • Bloom Period: June-July

☀️ Growing Requirements: • Sun: Full sun • Water: Very low to low (drought tolerant) • Soil: Deep sandy, loamy or clay soils; notably tolerant of saline & alkaline ground • Spacing: 18-24 inches apart

🦋 Pollinator Benefits: • Birds: Seed for songbirds; tall clumps give excellent winter cover for game birds • Native Bees: Wind-pollinated — no nectar, but clumps provide nesting shelter • Butterflies: Larval host for grass-feeding skippers • Beneficial Insects: Standing clumps overwinter predatory beetles, spiders & parasitoid wasps

🌱 Plant Care: • Spring: Cut back old foliage to about 6 inches before new growth; starts early • Summer: May go semi-dormant in heat — normal; do not overwater • Fall: Leave the clump for structure and cover; divide in early fall if needed • Winter: Fully hardy; leave standing for winter form

🤝 Companion Planting: • Perfect paired with:

  • Blue Grama
  • Sand Dropseed
  • Blanketflower
  • Rabbitbrush

✨ Unique Characteristics: • Largest cool-season native bunchgrass in the West — real vertical architecture • Striking blue-gray foliage • Handles saline & alkaline soil most grasses reject • Superb winter wildlife cover • Non-spreading clump