Characteristics:

Blue wildrye is a large, rapid developing, short lived, perennial bunchgrass native to the central and western US. It has approximately 120,000 seeds per pound. Blue wildrye grows where annual rainfall ranges between 10-40 inches and is generally more drought tolerant than meadow barley and California brome. Blue wildrye is an upright, tall grass ranging from 1-1.5 meters in height. Typical habitat consists of open woods, prairie, thickets, and moist or dry hillsides from sea level on the Pacific coast to high elevation in the Rocky Mountains(Hitchcock et al., 1969). Blue wildrye is genetically variable, but a highly self-pollinating species (Wilson et al., 1999). Populations appear to be highly differentiated (genetically different from each other). There are more compact leafy ecotypes adapted to sunny grassland habitats. Some with dark green dense leafy plant canopies and others almost leafless and light green in color. Important characteristics of this species for re-vegetation include broad adaptation, high seed production, ability to reseed readily, good ground protection, and strong seedling vigor. Blue wildrye exhibits intermediate shade tolerance. Blue wildrye is compatible with tree plantings and is utilized in re-vegetation of logged-off and burned-over timberlands and oak woodlands. Blue wildrye provides excellent wildlife habitat for mammals, birds and waterfowl. It does not become as rank or stemmy as introduced natives and provides more uniform cover.