Bluejoint vs Slimstem Reedgrass - TreeTime.ca

Bluejoint vs Slimstem Reedgrass

Calamagrostis canadensis

Calamagrostis stricta

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Bluejoint
Slimstem Reedgrass

Bluejoint is a native perennial grass that forms tall, dense colonies. It is one of the most abundant grasses found in Canada and the United States. The extensive shallow root system and spreading rhizomes help stabilise soils, especially in wet meadows, marshes, and along streambanks.
It is a cool-season grass, growing most actively in spring and fall and slowing during the heat of summer. Seeds from its purple-tinged spikes feed birds and small mammals, and the plant itself provides forage for wildlife and livestock, though it does not tolerate heavy grazing. Its tall, dense growth also offers nesting habitat for wetland birds. With these combined values, Bluejoint is well-suited for naturalisation, riparian plantings, and habitat restoration projects.

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.

Bluejoint Quick Facts

Slimstem Reedgrass Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - high
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low


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: bluejoint grass, bluejoint reedgrass, canada blue joint, canada reedgrass, marsh reedgrass
Other Names: narrow reedgrass, narrow-leaved reed grass, narrow-spiked reedgrass, slim-stemmed reedgrass