Suomi
Svenska
Purple reedgrass
Calamagrostis arundinacea
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Purple reedgrass is a tall forest grass that grows in dense clumps. Its narrow, many‑branched flower sprays often have a pale green to reddish or bluish tint in mid-summer. It is widespread across Europe and northern Asia and often stands upright well into autumn.
Did you know?
- The airy flower sprays can flush reddish or bluish and often remain standing into winter.
- After logging, it can spread so thickly that young trees struggle to grow.
About the species
Identification
Tall grass in dense clumps, 80–150 cm. Stems upright, smooth, unbranched, with a few joints. Leaves flat, soft, about 4–6 mm wide, long-tapered; dark shiny green beneath, slightly rough above. Leaf bases loosely wrap the stem; at the leaf–stem joint there is a very short, rounded whitish flap (about 1–2 mm). Flower head a narrow, many‑branched spray 10–20 cm, pale green to reddish or bluish green. Tiny flowers each have a fine bristle that just sticks out; the dangling pollen sacs are purple. Compared with sand reedgrass, this has a much shorter, rounded flap and a narrower, less fluffy flower head. Flowers in Finland in July.
Plant group
Grasses, sedges and rushes
Habitat
heath forest
Flowering
Jul
About the habitat
Grows in fresh and fairly rich forests, woodland edges and slopes, and also on burnt and recently logged sites. Common in southern and central Finland up to Kainuu; rather rare in Åland and along the Bothnian Bay coast.
Sources
Photo: Jindřich Soukup, CC0 1.0 https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6519405672
Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Metsät: tuoreet kankaat, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40614
Text: Pinkka (Luomus), CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40614
Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mets%C3%A4kastikka
