Weeds of the Week Common Reed & Reed Canarygrass

Common Reed is a class B weed thought to have originated in Europe, Asia and Australia. It is not known to be toxic. This plant forms dense, monotypic stands in wetlands. Wildlife is displaced when wetland structure and functions are altered. Water quality also deteriorates when water flow or circulation is adversely affected by this species.

Common Reed is a large perennial grass that can grow up to 20 feet tall, with creeping rhizomes and distinctive feathery, plume like flowerheads. The flowers are dense and silky. Floral spikes are tawny, purplish and 1 to 6 inches long. This plant is found in disturbed and non-disturbed sites that hold water, including roadside ditches and depressions. Common reed is typically found in or near wetlands.

Reed Canarygrass is a class C weed native to Eurasia and is not known to be toxic. This plant is a major threat to natural wetlands. It out competes most native species as it forms large, single species stands. Dense stands have little wildlife or forage habitat value. Its invasion can cause siltation in irrigation ditches.

Reed Canarygrass is a rhizomatous, perennial, cool season grass that can reach three to six feet in height. Flowers are densely clustered in panicles with three florets per spikelet. Plants bloom from May to mid-June and are green to purple and change to beige over time. This plant typically occurs in soils that are saturated or nearly saturated for most of the growing season. It grows in roadside ditches, river dikes, shallow marshes, wetlands and meadows. Reed Canarygrass can spread by seeds or by creeping rhizomes. The species will also produce roots and shoots from the nodes of freshly cut stems.

Mowing may be a valuable control method, since it removes seed heads before seed maturation and exposes the ground to light, which promotes the growth of native species.

If you have questions about Common Reed or Reed Canarygrass, or any other noxious weeds and their identification and control, please contact Andy Lea at 360-795-3852.