"Phragmites australis", the common reed, is used in many areas for thatching rooves (roofs). When thatched rooves were common, rivers were harvested for reeds every year. The reeds were stored in barns, and purchased by roofers for thatching. In the United Kingdom, common reed used for this purpose is known as "Norfolk reed" or "water reed". However, "wheat reed" and "Devon reed" are not reeds but long-stemmed wheat straw.