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Bottlebrush Squirreltail

Elymus elymoides var. elymoides

grass View on Calscape

Care

Sun

full sun

Water

very low

Soil

Prefers loamy or clay soils. Grows poorly in sandy soils.

Size

2–2ft tall

Bloom

Mar-May

Deer

Resistant

Container

Friendly

Native Range

Grasslands, chaparral, and oak woodlands throughout California, typically at 1,000-8,000 ft elevation, extending to Washington and New Mexico

Care Guide

Planting

Plant Bottlebrush Squirreltail in full sun and well-draining loamy or clay soil - it performs poorly in sandy soils, so amend if needed. Space plants about 2 feet apart to account for their mature width. Spring is the ideal planting time to establish roots before the dry season.

After Planting

Water weekly during your first summer to help the plant establish, then transition to very low water once it's growing vigorously, typically by late summer or fall. This native perennial will go dormant in summer and green up again in winter and spring; resist the urge to overwater during dry months. The #1 mistake is planting in sandy soil or underestimating how drought-tolerant this grass becomes - once established, treat it like the dry-site native it is.

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