Canada wild rye is a cool-season, short-lived bunchgrass. Thick, bristly spikes appear in mid-summer often nodding with a bluish-green tint. All parts of the plant turn tan in the fall. Grows well in disturbed areas and reseeds, but fades out of the landscape once longer-lived plants establish. Canada wild rye is found in woodland edges, prairies, savannas, roadsides, and riverbanks.