Giant wild rye or Lyme grass. The stiff steel-blue blades of this native ornamental grow up to 6’ tall and often turn a brilliant golden color with the first hard frost. Powdery blue flowering plumes appear in spring above the foliage and fade to tawny beige with age. Tolerant of a wide range of conditions including aridity, drought, poor or clay soils, part shade and seasonal wetness, giant wild rye is a strong contender for any garden. Like most members of the genus, this species is an aggressive spreader and should be contained in the small garden. Hardy to 10F. Coastal ranges from Baja California north and Channel Islands. Formerly Elymus condensatus.
