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Riverbank Wild-rye

Elymus riparius

Found in moist forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

48
Good

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

Profile 100%

Height
About 4.5 feet
Light
Part shade, Shade
Soil moisture
Average to moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Bloom
July to September
Fruiting season
Summer to fall

Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 12 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

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

Moist forests

Woods Scene
Harvey Joiner, Woods Scene: tall beeches in a moist Kentucky woodland, light falling through a closed canopy onto a damp forest floor. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Kentucky beech woods (Harvey Joiner, Louisville painter of Kentucky beech forests; the painting does not name the site), a neighboring state.Woods Scene, Harvey Joiner, c. 1880-1920. Public domain. Source record.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 82 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (45)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

25CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Elymus

  • Amblyscirtes vialisCommon Roadside-Skipper, Black Little Skipper
  • Ancyloxypha numitorLeast Skipper
  • Apamea devastatorGlassy Borer, Glassy Cutworm Moth
  • Apamea lignicoloraWood-Colored Apamea
  • Apamea sordensBordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot
  • Cercyonis pegalaCommon Wood Nymph
  • Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
  • Ctenucha virginicaVirginia Ctenucha
  • Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
  • Lethe anthedonNorthern Pearly Eye
Show all 25
  • Leucania commoidesDusky Wainscot, Comma Wainscot
  • Leucania phragmitidicolaNeedle Wainscot, Phragmites Wainscot
  • Leucania pseudargyriaFalse Wainscot
  • Limochores mysticLong Dash
  • Lon zabulonZabulon Skipper
  • Loscopia velataVeiled Ear Moth, Veiled Grass Moth
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Nephelodes miniansBronzed Cutworm
  • Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Polites themistoclesTawny-Edged Skipper
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Apamea lutosa
  • Elachista illectella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded eating Elymus in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

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

Birds that eat Elymus 1

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Poaceae
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Grows in clumps
Foliage color
Dark green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

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

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “July to September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth habit · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Height · “About 4.5 feet” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Light · “Part shade (3–6 hours); Shade (under 3 hours)” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide · Nursery cultural guide; height in flower; moisture categories retained as printed
  • Soil · “Wet-mesic; Mesic” · Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide · Nursery cultural guide; height in flower; moisture categories retained as printed
Also known as

Eastern Riverbank Wild Rye; Riverbank Wild rye

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Sources