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 This
reed, also known as Arundo, is
native to Eastern Asia but has been widely planted around the world because
this plant has a variety of practical uses.
Arundo has been used for
walking sticks, fishing poles, musical instruments, and recently it is being
investigated as a biofuel source. Arundo was first planted in California
in the 1820’s to provide roofing materials and for erosion control in the Los
Angeles Basin area. It was also
planted in other parts of the United States, Mexico, Central and South
America, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand. In many areas it is now considered an
invasive pest.
Arundo grows rapidly and reaches a mature
height of 25 feet in only 12 months.
An acre of arundo can produce about 25 tons of biomass per acre for
each of two annual harvests. The
plant is very tolerant all kinds of weather and can be found growing in damp
riparian areas, and it is tolerant of moderately saline soils. This plant can outcompete native plants
and associated animals. Native plants
cannot utilize arundo so their populations decline. In California, Arundo
infestations are particularly problematic because this weed chokes out native
willows. It can provide a lot of fuel
for wildfires, which are typically very uncommon in riparian areas. When floods occur, large rafts of
dislodged Arundo can cause bridges to collapse as tons of organic
material accumulare. In North America
the weed appears to reproduce asexually and seldom produces viable seeds.
A scale
insect, Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Hemiptera:
Diaspididae), may offer some natural control of this weed (Goolsby et al.
2009).
REFERENCES:
Ahmed, R., P. S. Liow, D. F. Spencer & M. Jasienuk. 2008.
Molecular evidence for a single genetic clone of invasive Arundo donax in the United States. Aquatic Botany, 88: 113-120.
Boland, J. M.
2006. The importance of
layering in the rapid spread of Arundo
donax (giant reed).
Madrono, 53 (4): 303-312.
Boose, A. B.
& J. S. Holt. 1999. Environmental effects on asexual
reproduction in Arundo donax. Weed Research, 39 (2): 117-127.
Finn, M., M. Harley
& D. Minnesang. 1990.
Control of giant reed grass in a southern California riparian
habitat. Restoration and Management Notes 8:
53-54.
Goolsby, J. A., P. J. Moran, J. J. Adamczyk, A. A. Kirk, W. A.
Jones, M. A. Marcos &
E. Corts. 2009. Host range of the European, rhizome-stem feeding
scale Rhizaspidiotus donacis
(Hemiptera: Diaspididae), a candidate biological control agent for giant
reed, Arundo donax (Poales:
Poaceae) in North America. Biocontrol
Science and Technology, 19
(9): 899-918.
Spencer, D., W. Tan, P. Liow, G. Ksander, L.
Whitehand, S. Weaver, J. Olson & M. Newhouser. 2008. Evaluation of
glyphosate for managing giant reed (Arundo
donax). Journal of
Invasive Plant Science and Management,
1: 248-254.
Witje, A. H., T. Mizutani, E. R. Motamed, M. L.
Merryfield, D. E. Miller & D. E. Alexander. 2005. Temperature and
endogenous factors cause seasonal patterns in rooting by stem fragments of
the invasive giant reed, Arundo donax
(Poaceae). International Journal of
Plant Science, 166 (3): 507-517.
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