Common reed is an invasive water plant in the grass family that is native to Europe. There are both native and exotic haplotypes and only the exotic one occurs in NC. This grass is found in wet sites and can tolerate brackish water. and even standing water up to 3 feet deep. It is capable of spreading rapidly by rhizomes forming large stands from 1/2 to 1 mile square. In NC it is found in the coastal plain. This grass will grow 12-20 feet tall with bluish-green leaves 7-24 inches long. The cane-like stems produce a 5-16 inch plume of gray to purple inflorescence from mid-Summer through Fall. The seedheads follow and have a fluffy look. The plant grows best in warm climates and fertile soil. Control is by mechanical removal and herbicides. See a few native grass listed to the left. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council and the US Dept. of Agriculture National Invasive Species site.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Sand
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Blue-green leaves are linear to lanceolate-linear up to 24 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Each has a sheath around the culm that forms a minute membranous rim fringed with hairs. They turn tan during the winter.
Flower color
Gray/Silver; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
Gray to purple inflorescence is 5-16 inches long and occurs in late summer.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Gray/Silver
Fruit type
Caryopsis
Fruit detail
Seedheads are fluffy looking due to hairs on the spikelets and are grayish in color in fall.
Stem color
Cream/Tan
Stem detail
Cane-like stems are hollow, tan in color and ridged.