Reed Canary Grass

Phalaris arundinacea

Reed Canary Grass is a tall grass that grows near water! It’s important for keeping riverbanks healthy.

Habitat: Wetlands and riverbanks

Appearance

The Reed Canary Grass is a tall, coarse grass with wide, flat green leaves. Its flowers appear in dense, often purplish or tan spikelets clustered at the top of the stem, forming a narrow, upright plume-like head.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderPoalesFamilyPoaceaeGenusPhalaris

Reed Canary Grass

Interesting facts

Even though it's grass, some have tried to make paper from it!

It was once planted to help stop dirt from washing away on riverbanks.

Some types can grow almost 10 feet tall, taller than a basketball hoop!

This grass can turn beautiful shades of purple and tan as autumn arrives!

Special abilities

Reed Canary Grass can absorb pollutants from water, like a natural filter, helping to clean wetlands and rivers.

Reed Canary Grass has strong underground stems, letting it spread quickly and take over new areas.

It can survive being completely underwater for long periods, making it tough in flood-prone wetlands.

Measurements & details

Height: 60-180 cm
Spread: 30-90 cm
Flower Size: 0.2-0.5 cm
Bloom Season: Summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

shelters

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Provides cover and nesting material.

shelters

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Uses dense stands for nesting.

eaten by

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Ducks eat the seeds, especially in fall.

Traits

Grass-Like

Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.