BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Phalaris arundinacea | Reed Canarygrass 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Reed canarygrass is a perennial grass that can grow as tall as 8 feet
(2.66 m) but usually reaches heights of only 27.6 to 55.1 inches (70-140
cm) [12].  Leaves are up to 12 inches (30 cm) long and 0.75 inch (2 cm)
wide [21].  The seed head is a compact panicle that can vary in length
from 2.8 to 15.7 inches (7-40 cm) [1].  The panicle is green or light
purple [17].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Chamaephyte
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Reed canarygrass reproduces mainly by rhizomes [12].  Rhizomes grow into
dense mats within 1 year, and up to 74 percent of new shoots are
believed to arise from rhizomes.  Tillers bud within 2 inches (5 cm) of
the soil surface [1].  Reed canarygrass can also readily reproduce by
seeds, which germinate shortly after ripening.  There are no known
domancy requirements [1].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Reed canarygrass occurs along streambanks, ponds, lakes, irrigation
canals, ditches, and in wet meadows, brackish tidelands, and marshes
[31].  It tolerates frequent and prolonged flooding as well as
submergence.  pH of water has been measured at 7.3 to 8.8 [1].  Soils
are usually Entisols and Mollisols, fine textured, and poorly drained
[3].  Elevation ranges have been recorded for some western states [6]:

Colorado     4,500 to 9,000 feet (1,372-2,743 m)
Wyoming      3,500 to 9,000 feet (1,067-2,743 m)
Montana      3,600 to 7,000 feet (1,097-2,134 m)
Utah         6,400 to 8,900 feet (1,951-2,713 m)

Some plant associates of reed canarygrass include cattail (Typha spp.),
bulrush (Scirpus spp.), rush (Juncus spp.), sedge (Carex spp.),
smartweed (Polygonum spp.), spikerush (Eleocharis spp.), horsetail
(Equisetum spp.), pondweed (Potamogeton spp.), arrowhead (Sagittaria
latifolia), rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), bluejoint reedgrass
(Calamagrostis canadensis), fowl bluegrass (Poa palustris), prairie
cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), and white spiraea (Spiraea alba)
[5,25,30].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Reed canarygrass is a native, cool-season, perennial grass [12,17].  It
is not shade tolerant but is moderately tolerant of drought and saline
or alkaline soils [31].  It usually forms monotypic stands and is highly
competitive with timothy (Phleum pratense), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa
pratensis), and redtop (Agrostis alba), often invading these grasslands
to become the dominant cover type [1].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Inflorescence and seed development dates for reed canarygrass have been
recorded for Montana [33]:

inflorescence boot -    May through June
inflorescence appears - June
seed development -      June through July
seed dispersal -        July

Similar dates have been recorded for Illinois and Wisconsin [1].  Reed
canarygrass can bloom 16 weeks after germination.  At 5 to 7 weeks,
tillers form, and at 26 days rhizomes begin to develop [1].
Occasionally panicles are not produced until the second growing season,
and full stands are not reached until the third growing season [31].

Related categories for Species: Phalaris arundinacea | Reed Canarygrass