Slender Wheatgrass vs Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat - TreeTime.ca

Slender Wheatgrass vs Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Elymus trachycaulus

Eriogonum umbellatum

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Slender Wheatgrass
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Slender Wheatgrass is a native perennial bunchgrass common across North America. It establishes quickly, making it effective for site recovery.
It produces upright seed heads that provide seasonal interest and seed for wildlife, and favoured for browsing by elk and sheep. Its seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals, and it provides cover for wildlife.
Slender Wheatgrass is among the first native grasses used for reclamation in western Canada and the U.S. It does exceptionally well in saline soils.

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat is a native perennial wildflower known for its dense clusters of cream to yellow flowers. The long-lasting blooms persist from late spring into summer, providing an extended nectar source for a variety of pollinators. The flower buds are often red-tinted before opening. As the blooms age, they shift to orange or red, adding seasonal interest and making them well-suited to dried flower arrangements. Its seeds are also eaten by birds, adding to its ecological value.

Depending on climate and conditions, Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat may be evergreen to semi-evergreen, or its foliage may turn red during fall. Its deep roots and spreading growth stabilize rocky or sandy soils, making it useful for erosion control. Exceptionally hardy once established, it requires little care and thrives in challenging environments, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects.

Slender Wheatgrass Quick Facts

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: tillering - high, seeds - medium
Spreading: seeds - low


Foliage: leathery
Fall colour: reddish bronze
Flowers: colour varies, typically white to yellow
Bloom time: mid spring to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: slender wildrye, western wheatgrass
Other Names: sulphur buckwheat, sulphur flower, wild buckwheat