Possibly the commonest of the wayside grasses and found throughout the British Isles and Ireland, this plant grows in huge numbers at the sides of all our roads and motorways in Britain.

It is one of the taller grasses but unlike some of the other coarse grasses it does allow other wild flowers to grow in its midst. Like many grasses it isn't easy to see as a separate plant but when it has finished flowering both the stalks and flower heads turn light brown and that can be seen in huge patches in late summer.  Individual plants keep flowering throughout the Autumn though and until the first frosts you can usually find one in flower somewhere.

LHS: St Abbs Head, 14th July 2006 RHS: Edge of Snake pass (A57), Pennines 13th July 2008

Added on November 9th 2004, updated 13th October 2008, updated 27th Feb 2010