Download Reed canary grass Common reed

ers 100 percent of those areas. And it’s
moved beyond the wetlands into
uplands and sandy areas.”
Reed canary grass
Reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea, is a tall (three to six feet in height),
sod-forming, cool season grass. It has
sturdy hollow stems, flat leaf blades and
flowers from late May to mid-June.
Reed canary is aggressive, growing
well in wet areas, withstanding flooding
and drought, and forming dense stands.
These characteristics have made the plant
the most prevalent species in 48 percent
of the wetlands in northeastern Illinois—to
the detriment of many native species.
Native to the temperate regions of
Europe, Asia and the United States,
reed canary grass occurred in the inland
Northeast prior to settlement and is
more widely represented today through
introductions in agricultural areas as a
forage species, component of lowland
hay and tool for controlling erosion.
While reed canary grass occurs in a
range of moisture conditions, it grows
best on fertile, moist or wet soils. With
ditches and waterways acting as dispersal corridors, it can be found in a variety
of wetlands—marshes, wet prairies,
swales, stream banks and fens.
A dense stand ofthe
invasive reed canary grass
grow s in a centralIllinois
w etland.
was common in a variety of wetland
habitats and was dominant in 30 percent
of all wetlands and 48 percent of Chicago-area wetlands.
“Reed canary grass is the worst
problem; it even keeps Phragmites
(common reed) at bay,” said Wilm.
Terry Moyer, land manager at
Richardson Wildlife Foundation in Lee
County, agreed.
“When I started here in 1989 there
were beautiful wet areas of bluejoint
grass and native sedges,” Moyer
explained. “The reed canary grass came
in and exploded so fast that it now cov-
Reed canary reproduces by seeds and
creeping rhizomes. The plant’s growth
peaks in mid-June and begins to decline
by mid-August. A mix of control methods
is being used—fire, foliar herbicide application and cutting or pulling the plants.
Common reed
Common reed, Phragmites australis,
is found throughout the United States, but
it is most prevalent in the eastern states,
along the Atlantic coast, and the Midwest.
“In Illinois, it is accomplished at taking over recently disturbed areas, especially those that have been surface
mined,” said Wilm.
Common reed is a grass that can
reach heights of 7 to 9 feet. It has lanceolate leaves and flowers that are
arranged in tawny spikelets with many
tufts of silky hair. Seed set occurs
throughout fall and winter and the plant
spreads through rhizomes.
The origin of common reed is unclear
as it ranges throughout Europe, Asia,
Africa and Australia. Core samples indiReaching heights of7 to
9 feet,grow ths ofcom m on
reed grass can quickly cover
recently disturbed areas.