Reed Canarygrass

Reed Canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea L.

Poaceae (Grass Family)

▲ ▼ mature plants

▲ inflorescence

▲ collar and ▼ ligule

Reed Canarygrass: (pp. 450-451, Weeds of the Great Plains; pp. 72-73, Weeds of the Northeast)

• Cool-season perennial grass that spreads by seeds and rhizomes
• Grows 2-8’ tall, with dark green medium texture leaf blades, that may remain green year round
• Flowering stems are slender, upright and stiff, producing many slender, compressed panicle (spike-like) inflorescences that turn whitish-gray after maturing
• Found in wetter soils
• Non-native colonies are more aggressive than native colonies

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