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 Appearance:
Perennial coarse cool season grass that grows 2-6' high. Selected for its vigor,
it is one of the first to sprout in spring. Erect hairless stems. Leaves: Blades 1/4-1/3" wide,
gradually tapering, up to 10" long. It has a highly transparent ligule
(a membrane where blade and sheath meet) that distinguishes it from
the native bluejoint grass. Flower:
Densely clustered single florets, green to purple changing to beige
over time. Blooms May to mid-June. Root:
Rhizomatous, (stems that grow under or along the ground sending new
shoots above the ground and roots below), creating a thick impenetrable
mat directly below or at the soil surface. |
Reed canary is a major
threat to natural wetlands. It out-competes most native species. It
presents a major challenge in wetland mitigation efforts. It forms
large, single-species stands, with which other species cannot compete.
If cut during the growing season a second growth spurt occurs in the
fall. Invasion is associated with disturbances, such as ditch building,
stream channeling, sedimentation and intentional planting.
This Eurasian species has been planted throughout the U.S. since the
1800's for forage and erosion control and is still being planted. |
 Wisconsin
Manual of Control Recommendations for Ecologically Invasive Plants,
1997.Plant Conservation Alliance: Alien Plant Working Group www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact
The Nature Conservancy Element Stewardship Abstract.C. Reinhardt and
S. Galatowitsch. 2000. Best management practices for minimizing reed
canary grass prior to wetland restoration. Final report to Minnesota
Dept. of Natural Resources, Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District
and Minnesota Dept. of Transportation. Dec. 5, 2000. 40 pp. |
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