Bottlebrush Grass - Hystrix patula

Elymus histrix, also known as Bottlebrush Grass or Hystrix patula, is a perennial grass native to Michigan and the UP. Bottlebrush Grass is a perfect clumping grass for a shade garden. This attractive, rich green grass has showy seed heads and graceful foliage. It is best in rich, medium to moist deciduous forest loam and riverbanks, but it also tolerates medium-dry, sandy loam mixed forest areas and even clay. It does well in regular garden soil. In moist, loamy conditions, this is one of my favorite plants; so much so that I used it a a back border in my yard shade garden. My apologies that its beauty is difficult to capture in photos.
 
Bottlebrush Grass reaches approximately 3 feet tall, a bit taller in moist and shorter in dry. It thrives and blooms in cool weather. It is deer-resistant, but serves as one of the host plants for  the Northern Pearly Eye butterfly, Enodia anthedon, as well as moths and skippers.