Phragmites - common reed

Common reed (Phragmites australis)

By Kim Willis These articles are copyrighted and may not be copied or used without the permission of the author.

The Common Reed is found along roadsides and ditches, wetlands and even in shallow flowing water.  It is often mistaken for Pampas grass, which is not hardy below zone 7 and doesn’t usually spread into the wild.  

Phragmites is a perennial grass that returns each spring, forming large colonies over the years.  It prefers sunny areas with damp or wet soil. Phragmites are found throughout most of the world in wet areas.  It can stand brackish water where rivers and wetlands meet the sea.

Is it a native plant or invasive species? Phragmites is interesting because it represents something biologists are just recognizing, the spread of foreign genotypes which look similar to native species and therefore often go unrecognized.  Phragmites australis subsp. americanus, or Common Reed, is a native to the Americas. The subspecies that was here before colonization has subtle differences from the European species that can be difficult for the average person to determine.

Native species are usually smaller and have a reddish stem.  However, it’s important to remember that the native common reed is only a sub species of common reed and it’s very similar genetically to the reed considered invasive. Growing conditions may greatly influence how those small differences are expressed. Here’s a resource that explains the differences but it’s my guess that the average person won’t do a good job identifying the differences. 

http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/phragmites/phragmites-native-non-native.pdf

Before the 1900’s common reed was a relatively uncommon species in North America, confined to marshy lands along both the east and west coast.  In the 1900’s they began to rapidly expand their range across the U.S.  and became much more prevalent in wet areas everywhere.  This was probably when the European species was introduced into North America.  It is thought that the European species is hardier and more aggressive in colonizing new areas. It’s also possible (likely) that we changed the environmental conditions that favor the European species genetic differences so it’s more successful.

People who fret over invasive species think that the non-native common reeds should be eliminated, citing the oft claimed theory that they decrease diversity and crowd out native plants. They will cause wetlands to dry up faster and succeed to meadows.  They produce a lot of biomass as well as using the water in the wet area. But a big reason the reeds are disliked is because they take over beaches and boat launch sites and hide pretty views.  They ruin what people think the environment should look like. 

Many marsh and wading birds nest in both native and non-native common reed stands, including the red winged blackbird.  Stands of common reed can help stop shore erosion.  Native people around the world had many uses for the plant. The reed is the subject of many tales and fables and woven into the oral and written history of man.  It’s not likely we will ever eradicate it from the US.

Description

The Common Reed looks like a large sturdy grass plant, which it is. It’s a perennial grass, hardy all over the US.  They can grow to over 15 feet high in good conditions.  Long, strap like leaves with a rough feel are attached alternately along the stem. At the junction of leaf and stem clusters of tiny hairs are seen. Plants range from bluish green to yellow green in color.

Typical panicle type grass flowers are produced in summer. The seed heads have tufts of filaments on each seed which gives them a hairy, fluffy appearance as the seed heads mature.  These picturesque seed plumes can persist all winter and are excellent for dried flower arrangements.  They are a purplish gray in early fall that fades to silver gray. 

Despite the lavish seed heads Phragmites rarely has fertile seed.  It spreads primarily through the root system.  Small pieces of the roots carried on farm equipment or shoes or washed down creeks can begin plants in new locations.  If you are a gardener who wants some on your property, despite the invasive claims, all you need to do is get a few pieces of rhizome to plant.  It needs a consistently moist sunny location to grow and it will spread.

Control

The native species of common reed and the invasive species can grow in the same area.  This will make it extremely difficult to control one without eliminating the other.  In many places you need a permit to remove them especially if the control method will alter the wetlands they grow in. 

In other countries common reed is often controlled by allowing animals to graze it or by mowing. Goats like common reed and are fairly easy on the environment.  Burning the grass in the fall when it’s dry every year can control it. A certified pesticide applicator has several chemical controls that can be used.  All of these methods are not selective and other things in the wetlands will be impacted. Homeowners should not attempt to use pesticides on wetland areas.

Other uses of common reed

Common reed is a good plant to consider for phytoremediation, the absorption of toxic chemicals and things like oil in wetlands.  The plants are harvested and removed or burnt to dispose of the toxins.  Common reeds help stabilize coastal areas and protect inland areas from the effects of flooding and rising water levels.  This will become very important in the future.

For foragers, good news, common reed is edible.  The shoots are cooked when young and eaten like asparagus.  The leaves can be eaten when cooked also. Seeds are gathered and pounded into a flour, which is generally used with other seed flours.  Stems can exude a sweet sap which is collected and rolled into balls to eat.  Roots can be boiled and eaten. Powdered dried stems are moistened and when expanded, roasted like marshmallows.  Common reed stems are about 5% sugar and can actually be boiled down to produce a sugar, like maple sugar.  It is said to have a licorice taste.

Domestic animals can graze on common reed and it’s quite nutritious for them.  It can be dried for hay or bedding.

Medicinal uses of common reed also exist.  A decoction of the flowers was used to treat food poisoning. The ashes of burned leaves were used as a styptic and to prevent infections in wounds.  Poultices were used to treat genital warts. The roots have diuretic and sedative properties.   The sap is used for bad breath and mouth problems and for indigestion.   There are no known toxic qualities of common reed.

Common reed has been used for building and weaving for thousands of years. It’s used to thatch roofs, bundled and used to build boats and even huts.  It’s woven into matts and baskets and turned into paper. Sturdy stems were made into musical instruments, arrows and fishing poles.

It’s a shame that there is such a war on a plant that has been useful to man for thousands of years in almost all cultures. It would be far better to recognize its helpful properties and harvest it instead of destroying it.