This Mediterranean species has been cultivated as an ornamental ("ravenna grass") for over 100 years in Ky. (Gm). There are recent observations of possibly escaped plants along roadsides in CAMP (EKY, KNK) and HART (R. Seymour, pers. comm.). but there is no clear evidence of naturalization within the state. R. ravennae has also been placed in Erianthus or Saccharum, and generic assignment remains controversial; 2n = 20 (FNA 25, W).