This large and beautiful grass, unknown to the general public, closely resembles the very famous blue wheat, also known as Leymus arenarius. They share many similarities, including an upright habit, metallic blue foliage, and floral spikes, with one significant difference: Elymus magellanicus is a tufted grass, meaning that unlike blue wheat, it does not produce suckers and does not invade the beds in which it is planted.
Elymus magellanicus is a solitary grass; it does not like to be smothered by other large perennials, preferring well-drained soils and sunny exposures.
This original grass does not produce suckers but self-seeds; it modestly colonises beds, but on one hand, its young seedlings can be easily uprooted, and on the other hand, to prevent its spread, it is always possible to cut its floral spikes. It thus possesses all the ornamental qualities required for gardens without the drawbacks that can be associated with invasive varieties.
For beautiful colour combinations, plant a carpet of Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' at its base, place a Perovskia 'Blue Spire' behind it, and scatter bulbs of Allium moly (with yellow flowers) to provide a lovely contrast.
Comments