Water Reed

Since the 1950s, water reed (Phragmites australis) has also been used extensively on British roofs. A shortage of local wheat straw in the 1950s, combined with the development of an industry importing water reed from other countries, encouraged the replacement of straw overcoats with water reed.

The water reed used today is nearly all grown outside England. Turkey, Hungary,ukraine and France are common sources. Water reed from Norfolk, where most native water reed is grown in managed reed beds, is occasionally used.

Quality thatchers have adapted the use of water reed, fitting it in a similar style to traditional combed wheat reed and using local traditional detail. It can be difficult for a non-thatcher to tell the difference between water reed fitted this way and combed wheat reed.There are subtle differences in colour and sometimes in overall shape because water reed has longer, stiffer stems than wheat straw.

Good quality water reed, fitted by a good thatcher is a useful alternative to combed wheat reed in Britain, if it has been established that combed wheat reed is unavailable and if your thatcher is unable to keep your roof maintained by patching until supplies of good combed wheat reed can be found.

Water reed is not the main historic tradition in Britain and you will probably need Listed Building Consent if your house is listed and you propose to change the thatching material from wheat to water reed. Water reed does not have the same links to local farming and local growing skills and it has to be transported over relatively long distances.