Phragmites australis (Cav.) Steud.
common reed · fluitjiesriet (Afr.)
The common reed: a tall, fast-spreading wetland grass with soft, silky flower plumes.
What’s in the name: Phragmites: from the Greek for "fence" or "screen", as reeds grow like hedges along water; australis: "southern".
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench”
— Isaiah 42:3 (KJV), The King James Version of the Bible (Project Gutenberg)
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Poaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Found worldwide; widespread in wet and semi-wet places across South Africa.
Size & form
Robust perennial reed up to 4 m, spreading by long rhizomes; grey-green leaves and plumes 12–40 cm long.
Flowering
December to June.
Uses in landscaping
- Wetlands and damp ground (not a typical garden plant)
Care notes
Grows quickly in damp soil or wetlands when conditions suit it.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Phragmites australis'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Steud. (assessment 2017/09/20).