Northern Shorthusk

Brachyelytrum aristosum

Found in moist forests, mostly at moderate to high elevations, such as northern hardwoods and spruce-fir. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Modest

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Height: Up to about 3 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full shade
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

Will it fit your yard?

No photograph yet. Looking for an old drawing…

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: July to August

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 3 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

Northern hardwood forests

High mountain forests of beech, yellow birch and sugar maple, including boulderfield forests.

Spruce-fir forests

Cool, evergreen forests of red spruce and Fraser fir on the highest mountains.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 73 animals.

Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Canada Warbler
Wilsonia canadensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Wood-pewee
Contopus virens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eurasian Collared-dove
Streptopelia decaocto
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Hairy Woodpecker
Picoides villosus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

1CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Brachyelytrum

Lethe anthedonNorthern Pearly Eye

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Flower color: Green

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “July to August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Green” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Height · “Up to about 3 feet” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Light · “Partial shade; Full shade (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	S4
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot

Northern Shorthusk

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Brachyelytrum