Cinna arundinacea

Common Names

Sweet Woodreed, Wood Reed Grass, Stout Woodreed, Common Woodreed, Common Wood Reed, Wood Reed

Summary

Cinna arundinacea, commonly known as common wood reed or sweet wood reed, is a tall native perennial grass of eastern North America that forms upright, hairless culms to about 3–6 feet tall with leaves up to roughly 12–14 inches long and grayish green blades. The inflorescence is a dense, wavy panicle at the stem tip that droops under the weight of the spikelets, with spikelets about 3.5–7.5 mm long, and it occurs in moist woodlands, swamps, floodplains, and damp sites, forming attractive clumps and serving roles in erosion control and wetland habitat. For cultivation and use, it prefers consistently moist soils, tolerates full sun to part shade in loamy, organic-rich soil, and is hardy in zones 4–7. Propagation is by seeds or division. In landscapes it provides tall, ornamental tufts, naturalizes well, and is used for erosion control and restoration of riparian and bottomland areas; it is typically avoided by deer.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36-72 inches

Spread

12-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-7

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, fertile loamy soil rich in organic matter.

Soil Drainage

Consistently moist soil that does not dry out (moist to wet, but not long-term waterlogged)

Soil pH

6.1-6.5, mildly acidic, tolerates 4.0-8.5

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Time

Summer to Fall

Foliage Color

Green to blue-green, gray-green, blue-gray

Fall Foliage Color

Green, red, yellow, orange, straw brown

Growth Rate

Slow-growing

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, attracts butterflies (larval host plant)