Bottlebrush grass, Elymus hystrix, is a perennial, clumping cool season grass with a slender, upright habit. With unassuming foliage, it sends up airy inflorescences that form persistent light tan seedheads that flow in the breeze. It naturally grows in part shade, along the edges of medium to dry woodlands, but it is very adaptable. It works best as a weaver/filler plant among other species such as asters, goldenrods, sedges, and plants with rounder, bushier habits. It is not particularly long-lived, but will readily reseed (without being aggressive) if it is happy.
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To grow from seed:
You have several easy options!
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Late fall - scatter seed on prepared seedbed (remove weeds and leaf litter) and step on the seed to ensure good seed-soil contact. The seeds should sprout and overwinter as young seedlings, then begin to grow in earnest the following spring.
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Winter sow - over the winter (sometime between December-February), sprinkle seed in plug trays, pots, or milk jugs filled with potting soil (ensure containers have drain holes!). Press the seeds into the soil and leave as is or very lightly cover with a small amount of potting mix, vermiculite, sand, or other light material to keep the seeds in contact with the growing medium. Water them in and leave outdoors over the winter, making sure they stay slightly moist. The seeds should sprout when temperatures warm. Once they are big enough to transplant, you can repot into larger pots to grow them on, or plant directly into the soil.
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Spring seeding - if you didn't get to planting your seeds in the fall or winter, never fear! You can simply sprinkle them on the ground in the spring, making sure to press them into the soil and watering them in. Or start in flats, plug trays, or pots and then plant out as desired.