How to Grow and Care for Phalaris

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a plant species native to Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa. Reed canary grass has a wide range of uses. It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant or its biomass is burned for fuel.

Little-seed canary grass is a bunchgrass, growing in solitary tufts rather than as sod. It is commonly used as bird and animal feed but is poisonous to mammals. Little-seed canary grass is also an extremely competitive weed that infests croplands in the Middle East, particularly affecting wheat.

Other names for Phalaris aquatica (bulbous canarygrass) include Harding grass, Toowoomba canary grass, and seagrass. It’s a species that’s native to Eurasia but has been imported to many other parts of the world—including Australia, where it’s used in weed control.

Annual canarygrass (*Phalaris canariensis*) is a grain that’s indigenous to the Mediterranean region. People all over the world use it for birdseed—hence the name. In Mexico, it’s been traditionally used to make atole, a hot beverage of Mesoamerican origin. However, the seed hulls are full of silica fibers, which have been linked to esophageal cancer.

Confused canary grass is a perennial grass with a compact, clumping growth habit, typically found in moist and fertile soils. Its short spikes feature densely packed flowers, distinctive for their glumes tipped with short awns. This tough plant thrives in grasslands and along water margins, where its hardiness allows it to withstand fluctuating environmental conditions.