Sweetgrass vs Hardstem Bulrush

Sweetgrass is a cool-season perennial grass best known for its sweet, vanilla-like fragrance. The scent comes from coumarin in the leaves, which is pleasant to humans but has a bitter taste that makes the plant less appealing to deer and other herbivores. As a cool-season grass, Sweetgrass grows most vigorously in spring and fall, slowing or even going dormant during the heat of summer.

It spreads quickly through creeping rhizomes and can be difficult to remove once established, so it is best planted in areas where its spread will not cause problems. Due to its deep, vigorous root system and preference for moist soils, Sweetgrass is especially useful for erosion control, soil stabilization, riparian plantings, and naturalization projects.

Note: Sweetgrass was formerly classified under the scientific name Hierochloe odorata and its subspecies. The subspecies found in Canada are currently considered two distinct species: Anthoxanthum hirtum, which is native across Canada, and Anthoxanthum nitens, which is native to Eastern Canada. Because these two species are alike and share many overlapping common names, they are often considered as only one species.

Hardstem Bulrush is a tall, native perennial wetland plant that thrives in shallow water and saturated soils, often forming extensive stands in wetland and shoreline habitats. Well suited to riparian restoration, bank stabilization, shoreline protection, and naturalization projects, it spreads through underground rhizomes to form dense colonies.

Hardstem Bulrush’s tall growth provides valuable cover and nesting habitat for waterfowl, songbirds, and small mammals, while its late-summer seeds provide food for waterfowl and other birds.

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