Canary grasses are annual or perennial species, from cool, northern temperate zones across the world and South America. Generally only the variegated forms of P. arundinacea are available for cultivation in the UK and these tend to be less spreading the the species.
A very diverse genus, from small annuals producing seeds that small birds favour (hence they are often found growing below bird-feeders) to large reed-like, space-takers that provide complexity and ecological niches especially to waterside habitats.