Virginia Wild Rye is a clump forming cool season grass that actively grows in the spring and fall.  It is a great plant to include in the meadow garden as grasses help keep flowering plants upright. It is similar to Canada Wild Rye, though the seed heads are smaller and less showy. The tufted foliage is narrow, evergreen or semi-evergreen. Bristly wheat-like spikey flowers with hair like awns form in late spring. They are held above the foliage, undergoing a color transformation from green to buff as the seed matures. This grass thrives in sunny or partly shaded exposures in moist or wet sites, though it will tolerate regular garden soil.
Though it’s a short lived perennial, it’s fast growing and re-seeds easily. The foliage makes great nesting materials for birds and is used by a variety of insects. It’s also useful for erosion control.
Grows 2 to 4 feet tall with a 1 to 2 foot spread.