Slimstem Reedgrass vs Water Arum - TreeTime.ca

Slimstem Reedgrass vs Water Arum

Calamagrostis stricta

Calla palustris

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Slimstem Reedgrass
Water Arum

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 Arum is a native perennial wetland plant known for its showy white oval sheaths (spathe) that surround a yellow-green, cylindrical flower spike (spadix). It has large, oblong, heart-shaped leaves on stems that rise above the water from shallow, spreading rhizomes. The blossoms are followed in late summer by tiny, pear-shaped fruits that ripen to bright red, adding ornamental interest to wet habitats.

Water Arum provides food for birds and small mammals that eat its berries, and its flowers attract pollinators. It can tolerate cold climates and forms colonies in shallow water and saturated soils. It is well-suited for ecological restoration, riparian planting, naturalisation, and habitat projects in wet and shaded environments.

Slimstem Reedgrass Quick Facts

Water Arum Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: shade, partial shade
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: colony-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low


Toxicity: toxic if ingested
Flowers: white sheath around and yellow spike
Bloom time: spring to summer
Berries: red, in clusters
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, PE
Other Names: narrow reedgrass, narrow-leaved reed grass, narrow-spiked reedgrass, slim-stemmed reedgrass
Other Names: bog arum, swamp lily, wild calla, wild dragon