Water Sedge vs Slimstem Reedgrass - TreeTime.ca

Water Sedge vs Slimstem Reedgrass

Carex aquatilis

Calamagrostis stricta

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Water Sedge
Slimstem Reedgrass

Water Sedge is a waterside grass which grows an extensive horizontal root system. This prevents erosion and allows it to grow back after being eaten.

Water sedge is grazed by many animals including cattle, sheep, horses and waterfowl. Animals choose Water Sedge for forage later in the year as it stays green longer than other plants, requiring you to buy feed for less of the year.

Slimstem Reedgrass is a native perennial bunchgrass commonly found in damp meadows, wetlands, and along streams and lakeshores. It thrives in wet, nutrient-poor soils and shows some tolerance to saline conditions. Typically a bunchgrass, it can also spread by rhizomes to form colonies, making it well-suited for soil stabilization, riparian zone planting, and wetland restoration projects.
Slimstem Reedgrass provides valuable cover for small animals and birds, and its dense growth can even serve as nesting habitat for waterfowl in wetland areas. Its seeds offer forage for wildlife, while the tall stems and floral spikes add texture and visual interest to the landscape.

Water Sedge Quick Facts

Slimstem Reedgrass Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low
Suckering: medium


Foliage: long thin leaves
Flowers: green and brown
Seeds: achenes
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: leafy tussock sedge
Other Names: narrow reedgrass, narrow-leaved reed grass, narrow-spiked reedgrass, slim-stemmed reedgrass