Latin name: Phragmites australis
Common name: Reed
Other names: Norfolk reed, bennels, carrizo, Danube grass, spires
How to spot it and where to find it: Swathes of swaying reeds are a familiar sight across our wetlands in the autumn. Common reed has tall, hollow, golden stems with large, feathery flower spikes that appear dark purple, slowly fading to brown as the spikelets — which contain the flowers — grow bristles. It is found in swamps and fens, ditches, at the edges of lakes, ponds and rivers as well as in coastal lagoons, brackish swamps and estuaries.
Interesting facts: Common reed is an aggressive, vigorous plant that grows to 3m in height. It will outcompete almost every other species. It is one of the most widely distributed of all flowering plants.…
