Junegrass vs Yellow Mountain Avens - TreeTime.ca

Junegrass vs Yellow Mountain Avens

Koeleria macrantha

Dryas drummondii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Junegrass
Yellow Mountain Avens

Junegrass is a native, low-growing perennial bunchgrass commonly found in prairies and open woodlands. It is a great choice for prairie restoration and naturalization projects or an attractive accent in ornamental plantings. Spear-shaped seed heads rise above the gray-green lower leaves, maturing to a tan color. Flowering earlier than other upright prairie grasses, it greens up quickly in spring and maintains its appeal well into the fall. It is shorter in stature and rarely forms thick stands, which adds to its understated visual appeal.

Adapted to cooler climates, Junegrass thrives in well-drained, rocky, sandy, or gritty soils and can tolerate drought, cold, and high altitudes. It actively grows in spring and fall when soil temperatures are cool, but in areas that are too hot or humid, it may go dormant by late summer.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Yellow Mountain Avens is a native perennial wildflower with bright yellow buttercup-like blooms. The nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. By thriving at higher elevations, it helps sustain pollinator populations and provides one of the earliest sources of nectar and pollen in alpine habitats.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Mountain Avens enriches soil fertility and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. It forms dense, spreading mats of evergreen foliage that act as a groundcover and help stabilize soil. Often among the first species to establish in disturbed alpine sites such as glacial outwash or landslides, it is well-suited for alpine revegetation, erosion control, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects in harsh, rocky environments.

Junegrass Quick Facts

Yellow Mountain Avens Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: mat-forming, creeping
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none


Foliage: evergreen, leathery
Flowers: yellow, buttercup-like, nodding
Bloom time: spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, YT, NT
Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON, QC, NB, NL, YT, NT
Other Names: koeleria cristata, prairie junegrass, prairie koelers grass
Other Names: drummonds dryad, drummonds mountain avens, yellow dryad