Reed Canary Pasture Grass Seed

Reed canary grass is a large, coarse ornamental grass that reaches 2 to 9 feet in height. It will grow in wet places and is used as a border plant. Excellent for arrangements to beautify your landscape. It has an erect, hairless stem with gradually tapering leaf blades 3 1/2 to 10 inches long and 1/4 to 3/4 inch in width. Blades are flat and have a rough texture on both surfaces. The lead ligule is membranous and long. The compact panicles are erect or slightly spreading (depending on the plant's reproductive stage), and range from 3 to 16 inches long with branches 2 to 12 inches in length.

Single flowers occur in dense clusters in May to mid-June. They are green to purple at first and change to beige over time. This ornamental grass is one of the first to sprout in spring, and forms a thick rhizome system that dominates the subsurface soil. Seeds are shiny brown in color.

Reed canary grass is also used for pasture as a cool-season sod-forming perennial. Like most ornamental grasses, in thin stands it will form a large clump. Spreads by short rhizomes which may form a heavy sod in well-managed seedings. Well adapted to poorly drained soils subject to flooding. Can withstand continuous flooding for 2 months in cool weather. It invades wet areas along ditch banks or canals. It is frost-tolerant and may be grown on drier upland soils. Not adapted to saline soils. Palatability of immature stands ranks near that of bromegrass. For best quality pasture, should be grazed at heights between 12 and 24 inches.

6 to 8 lbs/acre or 1/2 lb/1000 square feet.

Germination: 14 to 21 days
Mature height: 48 to 90 inches
Zones: 2 - 10