At Parkwood at large area along a tiny trickle of a stream has now been taken over by Phragmites.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Phragmites!
Phragmites is Canada's worst invasive plant, and it is spreading through the gardens at Parkwood. It grows to 15 feet high, and forms a 'forest' of thick stems so dense even a turtle can't get through it. Looking like a tall, coarse grass, it is actually European common reed, Phragmites australis, native to Eurasia.
It might be mistaken for an ornamental grass, both for its huge size and its feathery seedhead, but it couldn't be worse in your garden! It grows straight skyward and forms these dense mats of up to 200 stems per square metre. It's easily mistaken for bulrushes or cattails.
By late summer the dark brown seedheads are forming. The plants are now well over my head, perhaps 8 - 10 feet tall.
The thick dark seedheads bend the plants that line the path so I have to push them out of the way as I ride through. These will dry out,and look almost white by late fall, with light brown stems. At this point they form an impenetrable, self-perpetuating mat. So don't make the mistake of including this species among ornamental grasses!
At Parkwood at large area along a tiny trickle of a stream has now been taken over by Phragmites.
At Parkwood at large area along a tiny trickle of a stream has now been taken over by Phragmites.
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I could see how that it would be hard to control.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is a truly invasive grass, not ornamental at all. I wonder how it is controlled.
ReplyDeleteThis stuff is thick in places around here...I hate seeing it.
ReplyDeleteA familiar plant of our wetlands, though certainly not the thing to have in your garden.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've heard of that before.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what they were called. We have them along the lane to the Ridge and although pretty, they can't just be pulled out. We have to cut cut cut continuously. Your post explains things. I have to admit that I like the 'flowers' in the wine or pure white colour after I cut and spray them for decor in the bunky.
ReplyDeleteBe careful or they'll take over your pond!
DeleteWe have a similar variety taking over down here :(
ReplyDeleteSad how these invasive species get into areas where there is no natural inhibitors. We have mussels in the water system. The only way to get them out is a human in a scuba suit pulling them off pipes, etc.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how fast the foreign plants can take over an area - we are losing our cattails in Western Washington to the fast spreading Purple Loosestrife - it wipes out acres of cattails in a matter of a year or two - and then we lose the nesting Red Wing Blackbird - it is sad to see our local parks not taking a stand against it when they see the first plant and ignorantly leave it because of the "pretty flower" and then it takes over. I've seen it transplanted from the roadsides to yards where it is well tended and then takes over everything.
ReplyDeleteI think we have some of those Phragers in our Park back in Bayfield. It's a hundred acre property and I've seen them growing near our yard refuse recycling area.
ReplyDelete