Environmental Weeds in Sydney North

• Noxious Weeds
• Other Significant Environmental Weeds
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Weed control

• Hand removal techniques
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Giant Reed

Botanical Name: Arundo donax
Noxious Weed Category:
CLASS 4 in Sydney North region and Blue Mountains and Parramatta councils


Photo: Adam Burrowes

 

Description:
 Also known as Elephant Grass

Originating in Southern Europe and Asia, Giant Reed is a part of the bamboo family. Grows to 6m high. A woody perrenial grass growing in thick upright clumps from very thick creeping rhizomes.

Produces erect shoots from lateral rhizome buds, and spreads rapidly. Stems circular in cross section. It has a double row of 50cm long narrow leaves growing up the length of the stem. Leaf blades are parrallel veined.

A 30-60cm long seed head on the end of the stem in spring and summer. No viable seed is produced.

Dispersal:
Dispersal by dumping and water. Spreads by rhizomes.

Impact on Bushland:
Grows in damp places from rhizome pieces in dumped rubbish or flood debris.

Control:

Manual: Follow up will be required any regrowth for a couple of years to eliminate.
  Be sure to remove all rhizomes if digging out.
  Cut and paint with a neat glyphosate based product.
Chemical: Please contact your local control authority for advice on chemical control.

Similar Species:
The native Common Reed, Phragmites australis may be confused with Giant Reed. It has much smaller and sparser leaves. It is also more upright on narrow stalks reaching only to about 2m.

Introduced species: Bamboos (Bambusa and Phyllostachys species).

Suggested Alternatives:

References: