This tough and attractive cool-season bunchgrass grows actively during spring and fall, forming a large stand of bluish-green leaves around 3 feet tall. Its heavy, bristly flower spikes arch gracefully over the foliage mid to late summer (it's also known as nodding wild rye), and the leaves turn an attractive sandy blonde in fall. Canada wild rye isn't picky about soils, and moisture levels can range from medium wet to dry. It's tolerant of shade,  drought, erosion, proximity to black walnuts, and air pollution. Fast growing and somewhat short- lived, it's often used for prairie restorations and to stabilize banks and slopes. It's often used as a cover crop in prairie restorations because it protects prairie seedlings and isn't overly competitive with other prairie species. In domestic landscapes, its proclivity for self-seeding makes it more suitable for larger areas rather than small borders.
 
Although similar, Virginia wild rye (E. virginicus) is usually shorter and less robust than Canada wild rye. It also has erect seed heads and fairly straight (not curving) awns on its mature seed heads. Canada wild rye is more tolerant of drought, poor soils, and shade.
 
Native habitats include bottomland forests, moist to dry upland forests, upland prairies, banks of rivers and streams, fallow fields, railroads, roadsides, and open disturbed areas. Best used in prairie, wild, or native plant areas. Perfect for dry, sunny slopes.
 
Plant Characteristics:
Grows 2-5' tall and 2-3' wide.
 
Prefers full sun or dappled shade. 
 
Grows in a wide range of dry to moist, well-drained soils, including rocky, sandy, silty, clay, and loamy.
 
Greenish flower heads are 3-12" long with 5-20 overlapping spikelets and curly awns. They bloom July-October. 
 
Alternate, blue-green leaves are 4 -16" long and 1/4 -1/2" wide. Surface is bristly and coarse with a prominent midrib below and finely toothed margins.
 
Stems are upright or arching, thick or thin, hollow, and 3-6' tall. 
 
Root system is shallow with short rhizomes.
 
Reproductive System: flowers contains both male and female parts (perfect/bisexual). Canada wild rye is self-compatible (produces viable seeds through self-pollination) but benefits from cross-pollination, which increases genetic diversity.
 
Wildlife Value:
Host plant for larvae of four-lined borer and white speck moths. Many insects feed on it. Rabbits and deer browse the foliage, and horses and cows graze on the young leaves. Provides cover for birds and other wildlife.
 
Medicinal, Edible, and Other Uses:
The Paiute Indians used the seeds for food.
 
The seeds may be ground into a flour and combined with other flours to make baked goods. 
 
Resources:
Homestead on the Range:
https://homesteadontherange.com/2021/08/10/canada-wild-rye/#:~:text=Ecology,for%20reproducing%20birds%20and%20butterflies.
 
Minnesota Wildflowers:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/grass-sedge-rush/canada-wild-rye
 
Missouri Botanical Garden: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=k200
 
National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/miss/learn/nature/prairestsedgcanal.htm#:~:text=Canada%20wild%20rye%20is%20considered,species%2C%20including%20nesting%20grassland%20birds.
 
National Wildlife Federation: https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/Plants/1933
 
Plants for a Future: https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Elymus+canadensis#:~:text=Edible%20Uses,America%5B183%5D.
 
US Dept of Agriculture: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/stpmcpg9996.pdf