This plant was unintentionally introduced from Europe in the late 1700's or early 1800's. The seed likely hitched a ride either among ship's ballast, or from reeds used as protective packing material when fragile items were shipped. As with many invasives, the plant is not all bad. Most parts of the plant are edible with young shoots said to be similar in taste and texture to bamboo shoots. If common reed is growing in a marsh, livestock will graze on it. The plant can even be used as a construction material. In parts of Europe this is one of the plants used for thatching roofs. Additionally, the extensive root system is able to help filter out impurities from polluted water. So, what is so bad about this plant? Our native species of Phragmites called Phragmites australis americanus is diminutive in comparison. The native Phragmites, along with other native wetlands or bog plants, all of which are called helophytes, are rapidly being crowded out by the invasive behemoth Phragmites australis australis. The invasive version, which has essentially conquered the world, has an incredibly aggressive growth pattern. It reaches an approximate height of 19 feet shading and crowding out our 6 1/2-foot native Phragmites, as well as any other native helophytes desiring an opportunity to grow. Invasive common reed grows from seed as well as from rapidly spreading rhizomes (horizontal underground roots) and stolons (above ground horizontal shoots). The rhizomes can grow 6 feet per year, so you can see how quickly Common Reed can spread forming a monoculture. You often see Invasive Common Reed growing in wetland habitats around ponds, drainage ditches, rivers, streams, and even in brackish water estuaries along Connecticut's beaches. This plant is not terribly particular about where it will take root. It will grow just about anywhere if the ground is soggy. In Scotland, if you travel along Rt. 97 from the center of town toward Baltic you will notice an attractive little marsh and pond on the left just a little past The Highland Campground. Phragmites australis australis has established a sizable colony there. It looks quite lovely with its frothy plumes blowing in the summer breeze however left to its own devices for too long it may eventually guzzle down the entire the pond! Seriously, it really does have the capacity of lowering a water table, and it can also alter water flow in areas along brooks or streams, but the main problem, as with all the other invasive plants we have been discussing, is that Common Reed is displacing native plants as well as the animals that require native plants for their survival. This plant's aggressive growth habits easily keep native species, both plants and animals, from growing and thriving in its midst.
How To Remove
I guess another of the reasons this plant has inherently conquered the world is, once it gains a foothold, its removal is a task involving some significant labor. A way to remove Phragmites australis australis without using herbicides is a marvelously murderous sounding method that could be the title of a pulp murder mystery called "Cut to Drown". This method involves hand cutting the plant to a level six inches below the water level. As a less physically taxing alternative to hand cutting, one might try a gas-powered aquatic vegetation cutter. A simple internet search will bring up several to peruse. These cutters are specifically designed for the task of cutting vegetation under the water level in lakes and ponds. Cutting below the water level starves the plant of the oxygen it requires to survive. Cutting should be done from mid spring to mid fall. The plant should not be cut when it is in its dormant stage from mid fall to early spring. When cutting, every piece of greenery needs to be cut below the water surface because, believe it or not, the plant can "snorkel" and will survive if any piece of leaf or stem remains above water. The cut canes should be placed in a tarp, as you are cutting them, for removal. All cut canes need to be removed from the area. Proper disposal method is bag and burn. The area will need to be monitored, and this process may need to be repeated periodically as new growth forms.
A slightly different option requires a controlled burn. With all required permits and a trained team in place, a prescribed burn can be done ahead of the cut to drown procedure. This will eliminate the bulk of the reeds requiring removal and disposal. The burn should be done when the plant is in its dormant and dry stage during late fall to early spring. When considering a controlled burn, great care needs to be taken to avoid loss of wildlife and native plants. A burn will only remove the portion of the plant that is above water. It will not kill the rhizomes, stolons, or any portion of the plant below the water line. It will make the task of cut to drown procedure a little easier once the plant is back in its growing cycle as there will be significantly less biomass to remove.
Yet another method- Please don't shoot the messenger! I know nobody wants to hear this, but the most common method used to eliminate this plant, and many other invasive helophytes, involves the use of herbicides. While none of us like the thought of using herbicides in our ponds lakes or waterways, keep in mind any aquatic environment filled with invasive weeds is not good for native wildlife or plant life either, so here goes- There is a Glyphosate solution specifically created for aquatic use, and there are other herbicide solutions specifically designed for pond and lake use that contain various other active ingredients besides Glyphosate as well, with each targeting a different plant. Of course, all herbicides need to be applied using great precision and care so as not to damage any native plants or aquatic wildlife. A chart which detailing herbicide application for this plant can be viewed at the Michigan's Citizens Guide by copying and pasting or clicking on the following link.
https://www.greatlakesphragmites.net/files/HerbicideQuickGuide.pdf .
The entire website, which you should be able to access from the above link, has lots of information on the control of this plant. I promise this site is not all about using herbicides! Michigan has approximately 11,000 lakes of all sizes so they might be considered experts on the topic of eradicating invasive plants from waterways!
The link below to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station provides clear photos showing the various differences between native and non-native Phragmites. You may need to copy and paste the below link to get it to open.
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/plant_pathology_and_ecology/phragmitesfactsheetpdf.pdf
