What grass is this?

[Scully]

We have patches of this grass on our rough shoot and would like to use it on the perimeters of a couple of woods as wind breaks as it grows quite dense in places and no matter what the weather never collapses.

I was told it was a type of rye but haven't found anything like it during searches.

Any help in identification would be appreciated, so we could possibly buy some to sew.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Scully

[ditchman]

norfolk reed.......

[islandgun]

does it have a big seed head in winter tassle like, not seeing any in your picture, also is it very wet underfoot, even for the lake district, ( phragmites spp love water and will quickly spread from rhyzomes)

[JDog]

It is not a grass but a reed as my educated friend Ditchman has stated.

 

As my other educated friend Islandgun has said that particular plant spreads using rhizomes. Planting something like that runs the risk of it getting out of control. Just think of bull rushes or reed mace round small ponds.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

 

Triticale might be worth a look.

 

[Scully]

Thanks all...here's another one for scale.

does it have a big seed head in winter tassle like, not seeing any in your picture, also is it very wet underfoot, even for the lake district, ( phragmites spp love water and will quickly spread from rhyzomes)

Can't say I've seen any seed heads and for some reason when it's growing in the warmer months I never seem to notice it! Only notice it when it's dried as in pic'.

[ditchman]

best way to spread it will be to dig it up and split it ...but only plant it in wet areas...as it wont thrive anyway else............it is SUPERB cover for pheasants as the bird is also a water margin bird................birds are difficult to spring in the fallen reed mess ...you must use a dog....

[Scully]

best way to spread it will be to dig it up and split it ...but only plant it in wet areas...as it wont thrive anyway else............it is SUPERB cover for pheasants as the bird is also a water margin bird................birds are difficult to spring in the fallen reed mess ...you must use a dog....

Many thanks Ditchman; have googled Norfolk Reed and with sincere respect I don't believe that is what we have. All the images of Norfolk Reed show it much taller than the stuff we have and with seed heads even when dead, whereas none of ours is anywhere near that height and none of it has any seed heads at all. It grows on dry rough ground as well as marshy bits and can often be seen on the roadside margins locally, but no one can identify it.

Saying that I wouldn't mind some Norfolk Reed; looks spectacular.

[ditchman]

what you are looking at is reed that has been managed......when reed has not been cut and cleared and burnt it is a straggly mess,,,,if you strim and prberely burn all that fresh straight shoots will emerge which will grow long and straight..............

[Scully]

Many thanks; will give it a go and see what we can come up with.

[nickologjam]

Could be canary grass. Reed canary maybe?

 

Some similar images on Google.

[scotslad]

I'd say it looks very like Reed Canary Grass.

 

Planted a bit on our shoot. When its like that just cut squares and move it, moved a lot like that into release pens to warm them up and give cover. Looks really nice in the pens and get very little flying predator problems now.

 

When it 1st became common as a cover crop it was often broadcast which produced an impenetratable jungle which birds would either not enter or not flush from and get pegged by dogs.

Not sure wot current advice is as always changing but last i seen were reccommend drilled in rows 24"+ apart, it tends to get further apart every few years as will close in. Proper advice is ur meant to run something (plough/horrows) down the gap every year to keep it wide and stop it growing closer together.

 

It does take 2 yrs to establish thou, usually planted with a nusrery crop but is perenial so does not need replanting.

 

 

Ps Click on any of the major game cover boys i'm sure they'll have pictures of it (kings, brights etc)

Edited February 6, 2016 by scotslad

[islandgun]

http://i0.wp.com/collinsnets.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/reedcanary2yrD-e1403794337395.jpg?fit=750%2C1000 canary grass I think its to dry in your gateway for norfolk reed

Edited February 6, 2016 by islandgun

[figgy]

We have it on our shoot and was told by farmer it is known as willow reed and was grown as roof thatching in any wet areas you couldn't farm.

 

Ours some years grows to around seven eight feet and very dense to the point of struggling to get through it. Other years it's only three to four foot tall.

 

Very good for holding birds in hard weather.

[Scully]

Many thanks all. Have to say Reed Canary grass is the closest to what we have judging by all images I can find of it when dead, so thanks for the input.

[AdamHall]

Canary reed grass