Elymus elymoides
Squirreltail, Squirreltail
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Elymus elymoides (Squirreltail) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by Low cespitose perennial; spike rachis disarticulates at maturity, glumes awn-like to 125 mm forming a squirreltail bottlebrush.
Squirreltail is a native perennial grass found across California's diverse mountain, desert, and foothill regions in grasslands, chaparral, and open woodlands. Flowering from April to July, this distinctive grass produces pale green to straw-colored seed heads with dramatic, long spreading awns that can extend up to 12 centimeters. Growing in dense, often bluish-green clumps 2 to 6.5 decimeters tall, it forms erect to somewhat sprawling stems with characteristic narrow leaves. Its leaves are 2 to 4 millimeters wide, ranging from flat to tightly folded, with short ligules less than one millimeter long. The seed heads feature 2 to 4 spikelets per node, with each spikelet bearing multiple florets and long, spreading awns that give the plant its distinctive, bristly appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Low cespitose perennial; spike rachis disarticulates at maturity, glumes awn-like to 125 mm forming a squirreltail bottlebrush.
Habitat and range
California counties: Mendocino, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Fresno, Lassen, Modoc, Alpine, Tulare, Tehama, Inyo, San Diego, Riverside, Siskiyou, Plumas, Ventura, Butte, Nevada, El Dorado, Mariposa, Madera, Alameda, Humboldt, Trinity, Calaveras, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Sierra, Sonoma, Shasta, Amador, Contra Costa, Glenn, Lake, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Sutter, Yuba, Placer, Colusa, Stanislaus, Yolo, San Francisco
How to tell it apart
vs Hordeum: Elymus has rounded glume backs; Hordeum has all glumes narrow and bristle-like.; vs Leymus: Elymus has 2-8 spikelets per node; Leymus has just 1-2 spikelets per node.; vs Taeniatherum: Elymus is perennial with robust growth; Taeniatherum is a weedy annual with very long awns.; vs Lolium: Elymus shows multiple spikelets per node; Lolium has single spikelets edgewise to the stem.; vs Thinopyrum: Elymus has prominent auricles; Thinopyrum typically lacks auricles or has very small ones.
Frequently asked questions
Is Elymus elymoides native to California?
Yes. Elymus elymoides is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Elymus elymoides grow?
Elymus elymoides occurs in Mendocino, San Bernardino, Tuolumne, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Fresno, Lassen and other counties.
What plant family does Elymus elymoides belong to?
Elymus elymoides is in the Poaceae family, genus Elymus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.