General Species Description
- Reed canary grass is the most invasive perennial grass species that occurs in wetlands in the Pacific Northwest. It is .7 to 2 m tall with long, scaly, pinkish rhizomes and a hollow robust bamboo-like stem.
Leaves
- The leaves are flat, 1 to 30 cm long, 5 to 20 mm wide roughened, sheaths open with overlapping margins tht tend to spread out from stem at right angles. Auricles tend to surround stem at top sheath.
Inflorescence/Flowers
- The flower of the reed canary grass is pnicle and compact, and grows to bout 25 cm in length. The three flowered spikelets are crowded on side branches of the inflorescence. The glumes are all similar in size, growing to bout 4-5 mm long, and are minutely hairy. In addition, there is only one obvious lemma per spikelet. The flowers bloom June through August.
Fruits
- Fruit...
Habitat
- Reed canary grass can be found in many irregular inundated disturbed areas such as, marshy spots, depressions, stream banks, and along edges of wetlands. It cannot endure in completely saturated areas for an entire growing season. It is shade tolerant.
Range
- Reed canary grass is one of the most broadly ranging and commonly occurring species in the Pacific Northwest. It is scattered and often locally abundant at low to middle elevations around areas of human habitation.
Similar Species
- Pharlis arundinacea is most often confused with reed mannagrass, tall fescue, and orchardgrass. It is important to remember that reed canary grass grows as a thick mat, the ligules are long, and the leaves are wide with prominent nodes, and it has a compressed compound flower that is a compressed narrow panicle.
Ecological Value
- Reed canary grass is used by many wildlife species for cover and it contributes to organic matter for detrital-based based food chains.
Human Value
- Between 1930 and 1980 the use of reed canary grass was encouraged as an erosion control method and water quality protection. Its use has since been discouraged due to its highly prolific nature.
References
- Cooke, S. S. 1997. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington & Northwestern Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle WA, 343 p. Guard, B. J. 1995. Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington. Lone Star Publishing, Richmond WA, 143 p. Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Washington, Oregon,British Columbia, and Alaska . Lone Star Publishing,Richmond WA 370 p.
This page was created by: S. J. Carey 1998
Return to Biodiversity of Oregon's Wetland Plants