Reed Canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea

Weed Description
Reed canarygrass has bluish green stems and a dense branched panicle with straw-colored seedheads. Reed canarygrass is native to North America and infests wetlands, marshes, and roadside ditches.

Leaves
Rolled in the bud, auricles are absent, long membranous ligule that is rounded at the top. Leaf blades are flat, lack hairs, and are rough along the margins.

Stems
Smooth, tall, erect, and measuring 0.4-1.6m in height.

Flowers
Seedhead is dense with a branched panicle. Extending beyond the leaves are straw-colored seedheads that measure 7-25cm in length and 1-4cm in width. As seedheads mature they become less compact and begin to branch outward.

Roots
Fibrous root systems that emerge from creeping rhizomes.

Identifying Characteristics
The long membranous ligule, fibrous root system from a creeping rhizome, and bluish green stem help distinguish reed canarygrass from similar grass species. Other reed grasses are commonly confused with reed canarygrass, but common reed and giant reed have a more open seedhead and are much taller than reed canarygrass.

Office of Programs

University of Missouri

Reed Canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea