Calamagrostis canadensis
Bluejoint reedgrass
(c) Andrey Zharkikh, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Calamagrostis canadensis (Bluejoint reedgrass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family.
Bluejoint reedgrass is a native perennial grass found in wetland and meadow habitats across cool temperate regions. Flowering from June to August, this grass produces delicate purple-tinged spikelets in open to dense inflorescences 10 to 25 centimeters long. Growing in dense tufts with sturdy rhizomes 2 to 15 centimeters long, the grass develops stems 60 to 150 centimeters tall that branch below multiple nodes. Its leaf blades are 3 to 8 millimeters wide, slightly drooping and flat, with scabrous (rough) surfaces and ligules 3 to 8 millimeters long that are irregularly cut. The grass produces delicate lemmas with short awns just below the middle, giving the inflorescence a soft, feathery appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; unclear range resolution in data
Habitat and range
California counties: Tulare, Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne, Sierra, Alpine, Tehama, Merced, Lassen, Glenn, Del Norte, Madera, Plumas, Shasta, Amador
How to tell it apart
vs Leymus: Leymus has spike-like inflorescences; Calamagrostis has open, branching panicles.; vs Koeleria: Koeleria has dense spike-like panicles; Calamagrostis panicles are loose and open.; vs Holcus: Holcus has velvety-hairy spikelets; Calamagrostis has silky basal hairs only.; vs Muhlenbergia: Calamagrostis spikelets are 2-4mm with awns; Muhlenbergia often larger without prominent awns.; vs Spinifex: Spinifex forms spiny seed heads on beaches; Calamagrostis has soft panicles in mountains.
Frequently asked questions
Is Calamagrostis canadensis native to California?
Yes. Calamagrostis canadensis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Calamagrostis canadensis grow?
Calamagrostis canadensis occurs in Tulare, Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono and other counties.
What plant family does Calamagrostis canadensis belong to?
Calamagrostis canadensis is in the Poaceae family, genus Calamagrostis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.