Common Reed

Scientific name: Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.

Common name: Common Reed

Native To: Native to U.S., but the more invasive strains originated in Europe

Date of U.S. Introduction: Invasive European strains introduced during late 1800s

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Means of Introduction: Possibly through ships' ballast

Impact: Crowds out native species

Current U.S. Distribution:

• PLANTS Database map (see complete PLANTS Profile for county distribution and native status)
• Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (county distribution for Southeastern States)

States Where Reported Invasive: WeedUS Database map

Management Plans: Aquatic Species / Common Reed

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Phragmites australis
Integrated Taxonomic Information System .
Taxonomy

Common Reed - Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas (2002)
DOI. National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Controls

Fragmented Phragmites: Overview and Identification of Introduced Exotic and Native Forms of Common Reed (Phragmites australis) (Jun 14, 2006; PDF | 1.73 MB)
DOI. National Park Service.
Jil Swearingen (NPS) developed the following presentation on distinguishing the native and non-native subspecies of Phragmites in the eastern U.S. (but not the Gulf Coast), drawing on information primarily from Dr. Kristin Saltonstall, now at the University of Maryland.

Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (Common Reed) - Aquatic Plant Information System (APIS)
United States Army Corps of Engineers. Engineer Research and Development Center. Environmental Laboratory.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution

Phragmites australis Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research; Special Note: NAL Catalog Search (resources)

Phragmites australis - Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program.
Taxonomy

Common Reed - Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States
USDA. Forest Service.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

Phragmites australis - Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)
USDA. Forest Service. Rocky Mountain Research Station. Fire Sciences Laboratory.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Plant Profile for Phragmites australis - PLANTS Database
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution; Legal Aspects

Common Reed
DOI. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Habitat

Common Reed - Invasive Plant Species Fact Sheet (PDF | 396 KB)
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Invasive Plant Species Assessment Working Group.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Common Reed: An Invasive Wetland Plant (PDF | 539 KB)
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Water Resources. Lakes and Ponds Program.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Common Reed (PDF | 136 KB)
State of New Hampshire. Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Impacts; Habitat; Controls

Common Reed Grass - Invasive Plants of Ohio
Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Natural Areas and Preserves.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Common Reed Fact Sheet (PDF | 101 KB)
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Environmental Conservation. Identification/Description; Illustrations; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Common Reed - Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia (PDF | 26 KB)
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Natural Heritage Program; Virginia Native Plant Society.
Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Phragmites australis (Common reed) - Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)
University of Connecticut. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Phragmites australis
Purdue University. Center for New Crops and Plant Products.
Identification/Description; Habitat; Distribution; Special Note: References

Common Reed - Maine Invasive Plants Bulletin no. 2532
University of Maine. Cooperative Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Phragmites - Invasive Species in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Workshop (May 2002)
Maryland Sea Grant.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References

Common Reed - Exotic Aquatics on the Move
National Sea Grant Network and Geographic Education Alliances.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Common Reed - Introduced Species Summary Project
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

Phragmites: Common Reed
Cornell University. Natural Resources. Ecology and Management of Invasive Plants Program.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: Phragmites Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnership (STSP)

Common Reed - Ohio Perennial & Biennial Weed Guide
Ohio State University. Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Special Note: Facts and folklore

Common Reed (PDF | 582 KB)
University of Pennsylvania. Morris Arboretum.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Common Reed
Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species.
Special Note: Bibliography

Common Reed - Aquaplant
Texas A&M University. Texas Cooperative Extension.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Controls

Common Reed - Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science.
Identification/Description; Photographs

Phragmites australis - Invasive Plants of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. Cofrin Center for Biodiversity Herbarium.
Photographs; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Phragmites australis (grass) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Phragmites australis
Discover Life.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Common Reed
Invasive.org.
Photographs

Phragmites: Controlling the All-Too-Common Common Reed
Massachusetts Audubon Society.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Controls; Special Note: References

Common Reed - BioBullies (PDF | 1 MB) (Western Pennsylvania)
Natural Biodiversity.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

Phragmites australis (Common Reed)
Nature Conservancy. Global Invasive Species Initiative.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: Element Stewardship Abstract with excellent set of references

Common Reed
Plant Conservation Alliance. Alien Plant Working Group.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: Distinguishing native and nonnative Phragmites