Plant Identification

Common Reed Grass
(Phragmites australis var . australis)

Fact Sheet , Management , Distribution

Common reed grass is a tall, herbaceous perennial grass that colonizes roadway and wetland areas.
Tolerating a range of salinity, it is found in freshwater and brackish marshes.

Summer growth

Winter stalks

Identification Tips Plants grow to heights of 3-14 ft. Leaves are broad, opposite and sheath-like. Leaves and stems are stiff and sharp. Feathery plumes of brownish flowers are produced in mid-late summer.

Common Native Look-Alike Plant Native Race of Common Reed (Phragmites australis var. berlandieri)

Common Invasive Native Look-Alike Plant Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea)