Common Reed Phragmites australis (Cavanilles) Trinius subsp. australisNon-native  -  Invasive    Synonyms: Phragmites communis, Phragmites phragmites.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Poales   >   Family Poaceae   >   Genus Phragmites   

Status:

This invasive species is common in many wet areas, forming tall dense stands that smother native vegetation. It is native to Europe.

This species' invasion has been "of great concern to both private and public land owners and managers since invasive P. australis typically will rapidly exclude other vegetation and form a monoculture" (Meadows & Saltonstall, 2007).

Relationships:

The larva of the moth Sclerocona acutella use Common Reed as a host plant. Broad-winged Skipper also uses Common Reed as a host plant.

There are 462 records in the project database.

View at Maryland Plant Atlas

Search Flora of North America

Search Mid-Atlantic Herbaria Consortium

Search Norton-Brown Herbarium

View taxon at iNaturalist

Search Google Images

GAALWAFR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO 
Common Reed, a very aggressive invasive species often simply referred to as Phragmites, in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/19/2009). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/24/2013). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Common Reed growing in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (5/7/2016). Photo by Dan Small. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (8/9/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/22/2016). Photo by Ashley Bradford. (MBP list)

Common Reed in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (10/9/2016). Photo by John Hall. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Montgomery Co., Maryland (3/25/2016). Photo by Max Wilson. (MBP list)

Common Reed at Isle of Wight, Worcester Co., Maryland (2/20/2016). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Common Reed growing in Kent Co., Maryland (4/1/2016). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Common Reed growing in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (10/29/2016). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Howard Co., Maryland (3/7/2016). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Caroline Co., Maryland (8/30/2007). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Common Reed (new spring growth) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/21/2019). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Calvert Co., Maryland (3/5/2016). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Caroline Co., Maryland (1/9/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

A winter Common Reed wasteland in Harford Co., Maryland (12/6/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/23/2017). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Common Reed in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/16/2017). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)


View All Images

Use of images featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

View Bibliography