Reed Canarygrass is a large, moderately coarse, cool-season plant. It is a sod-forming grass that grows a thick culm from 3 to 6 feet tall that rises from large leafy sod clumps.

AREA OF ADAPTATION: This grass is native to the Northern United States. It is used widely in the North Central and Pacific Northwest. It thrives on poorly drained, wetland areas that are frequently flooded, especially in silty or clayey textured soils. It adapts to elevations from near sea level to about 9,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains.

PLANTING: Drill seed in 1/4 to 3/4 inch depth in fine to medium coarse-textured soils. Seeding rates should be at 1 to 3 lbs. PLS per acre for pasture. It is incompatible with most other species, but it may be used with a legume mixture with intensive culture and management. Use only fresh seed which has been tested recently, because seeds rapidly lose viability in storage.

MANAGEMENT: Reeds Canarygrass is widely used for seeding humid, wet, and irrigated lands for pasture, hay and silage. It is valuable in soil conservation for gully control and maintenance of grassed waterways, stream banks, etc. The grass has medium palatability for livestock when actively growing; poor to fair in fall and winter. Graze established stands at 6 to 24 inch vegetative stages. It is one of the highest forge yielding grasses in the semi-hydric habitat.

PLANTING DATES: March - May, August - September