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Common Reed

Phragmites australis

Common Reed Locations in North America
Common Reed Locations in Southeast US

common reed drawing

tops of common reed
close up common reed
side view of common reed

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Used with permission.

What is Common Reed?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

  • Blades flat
  • 0.39-1.5 inches wide

Flowers:

  • Loose, branching cluster
  • Spikelets few-flowered

Stem:

  • Hollow stem
  • 3-9 feet tall
  • 0.2-0.59 inches thick

Where Does it Grow?

Common reed can be found in marshes, along rivers, at stream sides and canal banks.

Pros and Cons of Common Reed

Many species of birds utilize common reed seeds and use the plant’s thick colonies for shelter. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.
How to manage this plant
Plant glossary

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Photo Credits: The majority of the aquatic plant line drawings are the copyright of the University of Florida Center for Aquatic Plants (Gainsville). They are used with permission.

Aquatic plant photographs were provided by David Bayne, Jim Davis, Kelly Duffie, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, John Clayton, Chetta Owens, Diane Smith, Joe Snow, Don Steinbach, Bridget Robinson Lassiter and Peter Woods.

You may use these photos, so long as you give credit to AquaPlant.

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