Description: This native or introduced
perennial plant is 2½–5' tall and unbranched. The culm is green,
hairless, and round in cross-section. The blades of the alternate leaves are up
to 10" long and ¾" across; they are linear, green or blue, hairless, and
rough along the margins. The base of each leaf blade is wider than the culm,
while toward its tip each leaf has a tendency to flop downward. The hairless
sheaths are the same color as the blades. The culm terminates in a slender
panicle of spikelets up to 10" long and 2-3" across. The side branches of this
panicle are erect to slightly spreading. The spikelets are initially light
green, but they later become golden tan and finally light tan. Each spikelet
has a pair of glumes at its base; these glumes are keeled, lanceolate,
hairless, and up to ¼" (6.5 mm.) in length. There are 2 sterile lemmas
that are quite small and inconspicuous, while the fertile lemma is lanceolate,
finely pubescent, and a little shorter than the glumes. This lemma encloses a
palea containing the grain. The blooming period occurs from early to
mid-summer. Each spikelet produces a single grain. The root system produces
extensive rhizomes. This grass forms vegetative colonies that often exclude
other species of plants.
Cultivation: The preference is full or partial sun,
wet to moist conditions, and a fertile soil containing organic matter. This
grass spreads aggressively in wetland habitats. It develops quickly during the
spring and becomes mature during early summer, after which it dies down.
However, this grass redevelops during late summer and fall to store energy in
its roots so that it can survive the winter in a dormant state.
Range & Habitat: Reed Canary Grass is quite
common in central and northern Illinois, while it is less common in southern
Illinois, especially in the SE portion of the state (see
Distribution
Map). This species is native to both North America and Eurasia, although
some authorities think that aggressive strains from Eurasia are now dominant in
Illinois. Habitats includes edges and openings of floodplain forests, swamps,
marshes, bogs, soggy meadows, borders of creeks and ponds, shallow ditches, and
beaches. Reed Canary Grass occurs in slightly less wet areas than Typha
spp. (Cattails). The aggressive habits of this species can be troublesome
for managers of wetlands seeking greater biodiversity. Sometimes Reed Canary
Grass is deliberately planted to control erosion, or as a source of forage for
livestock. However, its usefulness for erosion control is debatable.
Faunal Association: The wind-pollinated flowers
attract few insects. Some insects feed on the foliage of Reed Canary Grass,
including Melanoplus differentialis (Differential Grasshopper) and the
caterpillars of the butterfly Enodia anthedon (Northern Pearly Eye).
Muskrats feed on the foliage, rhizomes, and seedheads to a limited extent;
young foliage is also palatable to cattle. The seeds are little-used by birds.
Aside from the cover it provides for wildlife, the ecological value of Reed
Canary Grass is low.
Photographic
Location: Within the floodplain of a drainage ditch at Judge Webber
Park in Urbana, Illinois.
Comments:
This is the aggressive wetland grass that everybody seems to hate. For a brief
period of time, it is somewhat attractive when its seedheads become golden
brown (see the upper photograph). Otherwise, it forms dense stands of stems and
leaves in various stages of development and decay. Once one becomes familiar
with this grass, it is fairly easy to identify. For someone who is unfamiliar
with Reed Canary Grass, look for a grass species in disturbed wetland habitats
that forms dense colonies of hairless plants. The leaf blades of this species
are quite broad at the base (up to ¾" across, if not more). The
inflorescence consists of a narrow panicle of spikelets with short side
branches that are erect to slightly spreading. Each spikelet consists of 2
large keeled glumes at its base (about 5 mm. long) and a single fertile lemma
in-between that is a little smaller than the glumes. This lemma is similar in
appearance to the glumes, but it is finely pubescent (requires a 10x hand lens
to see). Any grass species fitting this description is likely Reed Canary
Grass, especially if it is forming seedheads during the early summer. The seeds
of an introduced species, Phalaris canariensis (Canary Grass), is a
common source of food for caged birds. This latter species is shorter and less
aggressive than Reed Canary Grass; it rarely escapes into the
wild.