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Phragmites spp.

reeds

Poaceae

Cosmopolitan wetlands (worldwide except Antarctica)

Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterHigh · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–10

Overview

Phragmites spp. is a small genus of about four species of tall, robust perennial grasses in the family Poaceae, known as reeds and found in wetlands across most of the world. The common reed, P. australis, occurs on every continent except Antarctica, forming dense stands 6 to 20 feet (1.8 to 6 m) tall in marshes, ditches, lake margins, and brackish shores. Stout, hollow canes carry broad, flat, grey-green leaves up to 2 feet (60 cm) long, and in late summer the stems are topped by soft, feathery, purplish flower plumes that fade to tan and persist through winter. Plants spread aggressively by thick rhizomes and creeping runners, building large clonal colonies. In North America an introduced Eurasian lineage of P. australis has become a serious invader of wetlands, crowding out native plants, while a native lineage also occurs. The reeds stabilise banks, filter water, and shelter wildlife, and the canes have long been cut for thatch, screens, and matting. Their vigorous spread and great height make them difficult to contain in small or managed sites.

Native Range

Phragmites spp. grows in wetlands worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. P. australis is native across Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and parts of North America, where a separate native lineage occurs alongside an introduced Eurasian one. The introduced strain has spread through wetlands of the United States and Canada.

Suggested Uses

Common reed is used in constructed wetlands and reed beds for water treatment, in bank stabilisation, and as a source of thatch and screening canes. The tall plumes give winter structure in large naturalistic and waterside plantings. Because of its invasive spread, it is planted only where it can be contained, and native species are chosen in sensitive wetlands.

How to Identify

Look for very tall, cane-like grasses growing in dense wetland stands, with hollow stems, broad grey-green leaves, and large, soft, feathery flower plumes that turn from purplish to tan. The plumes stand 6 to 20 feet (1.8 to 6 m) above the water or mud and persist over winter. The great height, hollow canes, and silky plumes separate Phragmites spp. from cattails and from the similar but clump-forming Arundo donax, which has larger, harder stems.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 20'

Width/Spread3' - 10'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering plumes appear in mid to late summer, roughly July to September, opening purplish and ageing to straw and silver. The plumes release wind-borne seed in autumn and stand through the winter. Established colonies flower every year once the stems are mature.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Purplish fading to tan

Foliage Description

Grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 8.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

silt clay loam sand

Drainagewet

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Forms tall stands in 2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Phragmites spp. grows in full sun in wet ground, shallow standing water, and saturated soils, tolerating fresh and brackish conditions and a wide pH from about 5.5 to 8.5. Plants are extremely vigorous, spreading by rhizomes and runners to form colonies that are hard to remove once established. They tolerate flooding, drought once rooted, and a range of soils from silt to clay. Because of the invasive Eurasian strain, planting P. australis is restricted or banned in many areas, and control of existing stands often needs repeated cutting or other management over several years. Few pests or diseases limit it. In gardens it is confined to large wet sites or contained beds to stop its spread.

Pruning

Old canes and spent plumes are cut down in late winter before new shoots rise, which tidies the stand and removes winter cover. Cutting alone does not control the spread, as the rhizomes resprout, so containment relies on barriers or repeated management. Removing flower heads before seed ripens reduces spread by seed.