Slimstem Reedgrass vs Tufted Hairgrass - TreeTime.ca

Slimstem Reedgrass vs Tufted Hairgrass

Calamagrostis stricta

Deschampsia cespitosa

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Slimstem Reedgrass
Tufted Hairgrass

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.

Tufted Hairgrass is a native perennial bunchgrass that forms dense clumps of dark green foliage. It produces tall, wispy seed heads in late spring and early summer, adding height and texture to the landscape. Its tidy, clump-forming habit and ornamental appeal make it well suited to smaller gardens and yards.

Tufted Hairgrass is a cool-season grass that grows most actively during the cooler parts of the growing season: spring and fall. Its adaptability allows it to establish across a range of sites, while its dense, fibrous root system helps stabilize soil. It is well suited to rangeland and prairie restoration, naturalization, erosion control, and revegetation projects.

Slimstem Reedgrass Quick Facts

Tufted Hairgrass Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 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: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: clump forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low
Spreading: 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: narrow reedgrass, narrow-leaved reed grass, narrow-spiked reedgrass, slim-stemmed reedgrass
Other Names: hassock grass, tufted hair grass, tussock grass