• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
AquaPlant
AquaPlantA Diagnostics Tool for Pond Plants and Algae
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Identify a Plant
  • Do I need a permit?
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • Videos
  • Online Courses
  • Get Help

Giant Cut Grass

Zizaniopsis miliacea

Giant Cut Grass Locations in North America
Giant Cut Grass Locations in Southeast US
giant cut grass diagram

giant cut grass

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 Giant Cut Grass?

Physical Characteristics

  • Large grass

Leaves:

  • Flat
  • Wide
  • Up to 2.5 feet long
  • Up to 1.5 inches wide
  • Smooth surface
  • Sharp edges

Flowers:

  • Large
  • Up to 2 feet long
  • Branching
  • Spreading

Fruit:

  • Oval shaped
  • Yellow
  • Grains

Stem:

  • Thick
  • Up to 10 feet tall

Where Does it Grow?

Giant cut grass can be found along the banks of ponds, lakes and rivers.

Pros and Cons of Giant Cut Grass

Giant cut grass provides a shelter and nesting area to wildlife. Wildlife also feed off of the seeds of giant cut grass. 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

Search for a type of plant

2023 Aquatic Webinars

Feb. 24: Ornamental Ponds and Water Gardens

Mar. 21: Selecting Herbicides for Aquatic Vegetation Control

Apr. 18: Pond Stocking 

May 16: Aquatic Plant ID & Management Options

Jun 20: Fish Management Strategies

Email Subscription

Receive updates on upcoming webinars and newly published materials.

Sign Up Now

Hire a Professional Contact Your Ag & Natural Resource Agent Aquatic Plant Nurseries Permissions and Citations Aquatic Herbicide Tables

Bookstore Items

Aquatic Vegetation Identification Cards

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System Member

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.

  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information