FACT SHEET: GIANT REED

Common Reed
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.
Grass family (Poaceae)
NATIVE RANGE
Eurasia
DESCRIPTION
Common reed, or Phragmites, is a tall, perennial grass that can grow to over
15 feet in height. In North America, both native phragmites (Phragmites
australis ssp. americanus Saltonstall, P.M. Peterson & Soreng) and introduced
subspecies are found. Introduced Phragmites forms dense stands which
include both live stems and standing dead stems from previous years growth.
Leaves are elongate and typically 1-1.5 inches wide at their widest point.
Flowers form bushy panicles in late July and August and are usually purple or
golden in color. As seeds mature, the panicles begin to look fluffy due to the
hairs on the seeds and they take on a grey sheen. Below ground, Phragmites
forms a dense network of roots and rhizomes which can go down several feet
in depth. The plant spreads horizontally by sending out rhizome runners which
can grow 10 or more feet in a single growing season if conditions are optimal.
Please see the table below for information on distinguishing betweeen native
and introduced Phragmites.
ECOLOGICAL THREAT
Once introduced Phragmites invades a site it quickly can take over a marsh community, crowding out native plants,
changing marsh hydrology, altering wildlife habitat, and increasing fire potential. Its high biomass blocks light to other
plants and occupies all the growing space belowground so plant communities can turn into a Phragmites monoculture
very quickly. Phragmites can spread both by seed dispersal and by vegetative spread via fragments of rhizomes that
break off and are transported elsewhere. New populations of the introduced type may appear sparse for the first few years
of growth but due to the plants rapid growth rate, they will typically form a pure stand that chokes out other vegetation
very quickly.
DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES
Phragmites occurs throughout the lower 48 states and southern Canada. It has
been reported to be invasive in natural areas in 18 states including Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North
Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
HABITAT IN THE UNITED STATES
Tidal and nontidal brackish and freshwater marshes, river edges, shores of
lakes and ponds, roadsides, disturbed areas.
BACKGROUND
Preserved remains of native Phragmites that are 40,000 years old have been found in the southwest indicating that it is a
part of the native flora of that region. In coastal areas, preserved rhizome fragments dating back 3000-4000 years have
also been found in salt marsh sediments indicating that it is also native to these habitats. Native American uses of
Phragmites include use of stems for arrow shafts, musical instruments, ceremonial objects, cigarettes, and both leaves
and stems for constructing mats.
20 May 2005

Plant Conservation Alliances Alien Plant Working Group

Xeeds Hone Xild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Page 1 of 6

Introduced Phragmites is thought to have arrived in North America accidentally, most likely in ballast material in the late
18th or early 19th centuries. It established itself along the Atlantic coast and over the course of the 20th century, spread
across the continent. In Europe Phragmites is grown commercially and is used for thatching, fodder for livestock, and
cellulose production. It is also declining in parts of Europe which has been of concern to natural resource managers there.
Here in the United States it is not used for many purposes.
BIOLOGY & SPREAD
While each Phragmites plant may produce thousands of seeds annually, seed viability is typically low although there
appears to be a great deal of interannual variation in fecundity. Dispersal to new sites is typically by seed except along
rivers and shorelines where fragments of rhizomes may be washed down to new sites where they can establish. Along
roadsides, rhizomes fragments may also be transported by heavy machinery between sites. At this time, there is no
evidence for hybrid native/introduced populations occurring in the field.
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
Areas with large, established, populations of Phragmites are best restored using herbicides. Other options include mowing
and prescribed burning.
Biological
At this time no means of biological control are available in the United States for treating Phragmites infestations.
Chemical
Glyphosate-based herbicides (e.g., Rodeo) are the most effective control method for established populations. If a
population can be controlled soon after it has established chances of success are much higher because the below-ground
rhizome network will not be as extensive. Herbicides are best applied in late summer/early fall after the plant has flowered
either as a cut stump treatment or as a foliar spray. It is often necessary to do repeated treatments for several years to
prevent any surviving rhizomes from resprouting. When applying herbicides in or around water or wetlands, be sure to use
products labeled for that purpose to avoid harm to aquatic organisms.
Fire
Prescribed burning after the plant has flowered, either alone or in combination with herbicide treatment, may also be
effective. Burning after herbicide treatment also reduces standing dead stem and litter biomass which may help to
encourage germination of native plants in the following growing season. Plants should not be burned in the spring or
summer before flowering as this may stimulate growth.
Mechanical
This type of control (e.g., repeated mowing) may be effective at slowing the spread of established stands but is unlikely to
kill the plant. Excavation of sediments may also be effective at control but if small fragments of root are left in the soil, they
may lead to reestablishment.
USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all
recommended personal protective gear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use
requirements, restrictions or recommendations.
NOTICE: mention of pesticide products on this page does not constitute endorsement of any material.

CONTACTS
For more information on identification and control of Phragmites, contact:

Dr. Kristin Saltonstall, Adjunct Research Scientist, Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for
Environmental Science, (914) 526-2498, ksalton at hpl.umces.edu

SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE PLANTS

Native plant species that are adapted to local conditions should be used in restoration projects and as a substitute for
Phragmites erosion control practices.

20 May 2005

Plant Conservation Alliances Alien Plant Working Group

Xeeds Hone Xild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Page 2 of 6

How to Distinguish Native and Introduced Phragmites plants:

It can be difficult to definitively distinguish native from introduced Phragmites plants without genetic testing due to the
plasticity of the species and its ability to adapt to a wide range of conditions. However, a number of morphological
characteristics have now been identified that can be used to determine a populations type. These characters can be
subtle (e.g. color variation) and subjective making positive identification difficult. Given this, an assignment of native or
introduced status to a population should not be made unless several characters clearly match the patterns shown in table
1.
Table 1: Morphological characters useful in distinguishing Native and Introduced Phragmites populations.*
CHARACTER
NATIVE
INTRODUCED
Photo
Ligule width**
1.0-1.7 mm
0.4-0.9 mm

Lower glume length

3.0-6.5 mm

2.5-5.0 mm

Upper glume length

Adherence of leaf sheaths**

5.5-11.0 mm
Loose both leaves and leaf
sheaths are usually dropped as
the plant senesces

4.5-7.5 mm
Tight leaves may drop off but
leaf sheaths typically adhere
tightly to dead stems

20 May 2005

Plant Conservation Alliances Alien Plant Working Group

Xeeds Hone Xild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Page 3 of 6

CHARACTER
Photo
Stem color (look under the leaf sheaths,
especially in places where the stem is exposed
to sunlight)

NATIVE

INTRODUCED

Summer green to maroon, may

have maroon color at the nodes
only
Winter yellow to brown

Summer typically all green with

yellowish nodes although some
lower nodes may have maroon
color
Winter yellow

Stem spots

Small round fungal spots MAY be

present in late summer and on
dead stems

Extremely rare. Patches of black

filamentous fungi may be seen

Stem density

May occur as a monoculture,

often co-occurs with other plant
species

Typically grows as a monoculture,

young newly established
populations and those in areas of
high salinity may be less dense

20 May 2005

Plant Conservation Alliances Alien Plant Working Group

Xeeds Hone Xild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Page 4 of 6

CHARACTER
Photo
Leaf color

NATIVE

INTRODUCED

Yellow-green usually lighter

than introduced

Blue-green in most habitats but

may be yellow-green in brackish
habitats

Habitat

Undisturbed sites
MidAtlantic fresh to oligohaline
tidal marshes
Midwest fens, marshes

Highly disturbed to undisturbed

sites, dominates brackish
marshes along the Atlantic coast,
common along roadsides
throughout the U.S.
* This table should not be used to distinguish between Phragmites populations along the Gulf Coast where another type of
Phragmites, the Gulf Coast type, which looks similar to introduced Phragmites, is also found.
** Most reliable characters distinguishing native from introduced Phragmites.
OTHER LINKS
http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Phragmites%20australis
http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/icat/browse.do?specieId=85
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pdf/phau1-powerpoint.pdf
AUTHOR
Dr. Kristin Saltonstall, Adjunct Research Scientist, Horn Point Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science, Solomon, MD
EDITOR
Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC
PHOTOGRAPHS
Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC
Dr. Kristin Saltonstall, Adjunct Research Scientist, Horn Point Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science, Solomon, MD
Robert Meadows, Environmental Scientist, North DE Wetland Rehabilitation Program, DE Mosquito Control Section,
Newark, DE
REFERENCES
Chambers, R.M., L.A. Meyerson, and K. Saltonstall. 1999. Expansion of Phragmites australis into tidal wetlands of North
America. Aquatic Botany 64: 261-273.

20 May 2005

Plant Conservation Alliances Alien Plant Working Group

Xeeds Hone Xild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Page 5 of 6

Marks, M., B. Lapin, et al. 1994. Phragmites australis (P. communis): Threats, management, and monitoring. Natural
Areas Journal 14: 285-294.
Meyerson, L.A., K. Saltonstall, L. Windham, E. Kiviat, and S. Findlay. 2000. A comparison of Phragmites australis in
freshwater and brackish marsh environments in North America. Wetlands Ecology and Management 8: 89-103.
Norris, L., J. E. Perry, and K.J. Havens. 2002. A summary of methods for controlling Phragmites australis. Virginia
Institute of marine Science Wetlands Program Technical Report No. 02-2.
Saltonstall, K. 2002. Cryptic invasion of a non-native genotype of the common reed, Phragmites australis, into North
America. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 99(4): 2445-2449.
Saltonstall, K. 2003. Microsatellite variation within and among North American lineages of Phragmites australis. Molecular
Ecology 12(7): 1689-1702.
Saltonstall, K. 2003. Genetic variation among North American populations of Phragmites australis: implications for
management. Estuaries 26(2B):445-452.
Saltonstall, K. 2003. A rapid method for identifying the origin of North American Phragmites populations using RFLP
analysis. Wetlands 23(4) 1043-1047.
Saltonstall, K., P.M. Peterson, and R. Soreng. 2004. Recognition of Phragmites australis subsp. americanus (Poaceae:
Arundinoideae) in North America: evidence from morphological and genetic analyses. Sida.
Swearingen, J. 2009. WeedUS Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States: Common Reed
(Phragmites australis). http://www.invasive.org/weedus/subject.html?sub=3062.
USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA
70874-4490 USA.

20 May 2005

Plant Conservation Alliances Alien Plant Working Group

Xeeds Hone Xild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Page 6 of 6