Bottlebrush Squirreltail

Bottlebrush Squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) is a perennial grass native to Western US states (such as Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado) that can thrive in USDA Zones 3–8. Reaching a mature height of 8–18 inches with a compact tufted growth habit, it features narrow green leaves and produces bushy, bristly seed heads resembling a bottlebrush. It thrives in dry, gravelly, or saline soils across sagebrush deserts and disturbed range sites and is ideal for invasive weed suppression, wildfire site rehabilitation, and dryland soil protection.