Blue Lyme Grass
Forum Archives
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Mar-11-2005 at 9:01pm
I ordered what I thought was our native Blue Rye Grass (Elymus glaucus) from Bluestone Perennials. Turns out what I ordered was Blue Lyme Grass (Elymus aremarius glaucus, AKA Leymus arenarius glaucus), an aggressive import from Europe. Does anybody have any experience with this grass? Will I possibly become the source of the next Noxious Weed From Hell? I am willing to put down bamboo barriers if necessary, but I was intending to put it in the Songbird Garden, so dead-heading to prevent seeds isn't desirable.
Should I call the nursery and ask if they will change my order, even though it's scheduled to arrive in 2 or 3 weeks? The other option is to let the plants arrive, not plant them or water them, and let them die, and consider the $17 lost a lesson to check every possibile source for information. Or am I worrying for nothing, and it's not as bad as I fear? I am really bummed out about this mistake, but I really thought it was the native grass with a name change.
Barb
Verena
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Mar-14-2005 at 9:59am
Hi, the color blue in this grass attracted me at first, but it didn't take long before I got fed up with the spread.
I wack it down with a chain saw bladed brush cutter! Since my back is starting to talk back to me these days, I finally just said "no" (works on Lyme grass). I never watered it, kept it containerized in the ground at first, and it still spread like mad, AND the field mice loved to nest in the dense hammocks. Still love the color though, sigh.....
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Mar-14-2005 at 10:17am
i thought there is a form of this grass that wasn't a spreader but i've been unable to find that info for you. perhaps i'm thinking of a similar plant.
pity the catalog didn't provide info on its agressiive nature in its catalog. can you still change your order?
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Mar-14-2005 at 10:18am
Call the nursery and get your order changed. I would think you still have time if it is not supposed to arrive in 2 to 3 weeks! I think it is better that the plants don't come at all than to try to deal with a noxious weed.
Jeanne
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Mar-14-2005 at 10:38am
I agree with Jeanne. I'd be willing to bet if they heard your concerns about it's invasiveness, they would be willing to change your order. Plus you might influence them taking it off their list of offerings. They are a smaller, family run business and more likely to want to "do the right thing".
Theresa
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Mar-14-2005 at 7:56pm
Thanks for your advice, everyone! I think the Songbird Garden is on hold this year anyway, unless we get some serious rain. I will call Bluestone and see if I can get them to substitute another grass . . . if I buy a more expensive type, they probably won't object as much (still got my eye on Miscanthus, but Elijah Blue Fescue is appealing, too.)
Barb
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: Mar-15-2005 at 1:57pm
It is good to find out that "cute and little" has a potential to become a demon with little encouragement. I think that, also, should go into the gardening book of my dreams, A frank confession of plants that take on secondary characteristics that blows the glowing discription to smitherenes.
Carol
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Mar-15-2005 at 4:51pm
Originally posted by cjmiller
I think that, also, should go into the gardening book of my dreams, A frank confession of plants that take on secondary characteristics that blows the glowing discription to smitherenes.
yes, i agree wholeheartedly. why is this information always so hard to find out until after it is too late? it's as if people are afraid to badmouth a plant. afraid of bad karma? i dunno but it perplexes and frustrates me.
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Mar-16-2005 at 6:13am
CJ, I agree! The trouble is, a plant (or animal) may not be a problem in its native habitat, but import it to a new area, and it turns into Dracula. From what I read on-line, Blue Lyme Grass is not a problem in Europe (where it is native), and is used there for dune stabilazation and wildlife habitat. Some European shorebirds nest in the dense cover it provides. It does grow rampantly there, but other plants have adapted to successfully compete with it, and so it isn't quite the problem. Here in the US, other plants can't compete, and it's able to take over.
An ideal gardening book should also have every synonym the plant is listed under. Part of my confusion was that it is called Elymus glaucus, Elymus areenarius, Elymus arenarius glaucus, and Leymus--with all the same species. I couldn't find it in Flora under Elymus, because they called it Leymus.
The other night, I was looking up Festuca cinerea on line, and discovered it is also called F. ovina--but it is NOT our native Festuca ovina. It is also called F. cinerea ovina. So F. cinerea and F. ovina may be the same plant, but also may not be--depends on if you are talking about the European F. ovina or the North American F. ovina.
Barb
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Mar-16-2005 at 6:19am
I called Bluestone Perennials yesterday morning, explained the problem with the Blue Lyme Grass, and it appeared they had also become aware of its invasive characteristics. So they were willing to substitute 3 Miscanthus "Flame" grass for the same price.
After hearing Debbie's description of sunlight through the Miscanthus, I decided I had to see this for myself. "Flame" is also supposed to have good Fall color, which is something my garden lacks. Other than the Jap. maple, there isn't much to provide color in the fall.
Barb
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Mar-16-2005 at 9:14am Oh that's great! You'll love Miscanthus, I have Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' and I just love it year round!
Theresa
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Mar-16-2005 at 11:42am
yippee, that's great.
i love my miscanthus, too. i have 'morning light,' 'flamingo' and 'zebra.'
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Mar-16-2005 at 11:51am
Oooooooooooh Zebra. I have been lusting after that one for awhile. Can we talk drought tolerant and beautiful all in the same breath? Oh yes, Zebra says!
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Mar-16-2005 at 6:58pm
"Zebra" was one I thought might be interesting, from the description in the catalog. It was a tough choice--I decided to go for the Fall color. This may be a dumb question, but does Zebra stay green all year round, or does it turn color in the fall? (Can you tell I have no experience with Miscanthus?)
Barb
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton