Common Reed – FranLaff.com

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Common Name

Common Reed

Scientific Name

Phragmites australis

More Clues to ID

This worldwide wetland grass can grow up to 20 feet (6 meters) tall and can cover a quarter of a square mile or more in one stand!

This is the most widely distributed of ALL flowering plants, found in the vast majority of nations, on all continents. Luckily, it is also quite edible and even useful. See the links for details.

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This is one of those ubiquitous species that a great many people have seen growing in ditches and marshy areas, often dismissing it as “ditch grass” or even “cattails”.

Image Credits

Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
R.A.Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Maurice Flesier, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
other pics from Pixabay or Fran's personal collection

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This genus contains about a dozen species of shrubs and small trees, each with fruits that can be used to make a lathering soap.

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This WHITE little plant completely lacks chlorophyll and is often mistaken for a fungus or mushroom. In truth, it is a parasite of fungi that feed on tree roots, and is often found in the shade beneath beech or maple trees.

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This is one of the few birds that many residents of the USA know by name… but it is THAT NAME that makes many people in the UK a bit confused. No matter where you live, each version has the classic “red breast”.

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