Practical
Plants

Phalaris arundinacea

Canary Grass

a perennial member of the Phalaris genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
1.5 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants have a running root system and form an impenetrable ground cover. They should be mown 2 - 3 times in their first 2 - 3 years in order to encourage thick growth[3]. Plants are best spaced about 60cm apart each way[4]. The leaves have been woven into hats and mats[5]. his is one of the main species used in the reed bed system for the water purification treatment of grey water and for irrigation with pollution control sewage effluent from municipal and industrial sources[6]. One of the highest yielding fodder grasses with annual yields ranging from 8 - 20 tonnes per hectare, it has potential as a source of biomass[6].

Product or use
Weaving
Product or use
Pollution
Product or use
Biomass

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain but excluding the Mediterranean, W. N. and E. Asia, N. America.
Habitat
Wet places and shallow water[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring[3]. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A very easy plant to grow, it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[2], though it grows best on moist sandy soils, rich in organic matter[6]. It also does well on fertile loams and clays[6]. Succeeds in most soils, whether dry or wet[3] and is moderately tolerant of drought[6]. It does not like saline soils[6]. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 30 to 260cm, an annual temperature in the range of of 5 to 23°C and a pH of 4.5 to 8.2[6]. Plants can be very invasive, especially in moist conditions, there dense growth provides good cover for water fowl[3]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[2][3]. This is one of the first grasses to come into growth in the spring[6]. There are many named forms, selected mainly for their ornamental value[3].

References

  1. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

  2. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  4. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩

  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  6. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

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