# Giant Reed (*Arundo donax*)

Giant Reed is a tall grass that grows near water. Its sturdy stems can reach great heights and provide shelter for birds and insects.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Snaps:** 5
- **Habitat:** Wetlands
- **Also known as:** Carrizo, Giant Reed Grass, Spanish Reed

![Giant Reed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Illustration_Arundo_donax0.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_Arundo_donax0.jpg)

## Appearance

The Giant Reed is a towering grass with thick, bamboo-like stalks that can reach impressive heights. It has long, broad, blue-green leaves and develops large, feathery, purplish-silver flower plumes in late summer.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Poaceae
- **Genus:** Arundo

## Interesting facts

- Giant Reed is one of the fastest-growing terrestrial plants in the world!
- Its hollow stems are sometimes used to make reeds for clarinets and saxophones!
- Some people use dried Giant Reed stalks to build fences or simple shelters.
- This plant can be harvested to create biomass, which is used to make energy!

## Special abilities

- **Rhizome Runner:** Giant Reed can spread quickly using tough underground stems called rhizomes that help it colonize new areas.
- **Wind Warrior:** Giant Reed has sturdy, hollow stalks that are strong and flexible, helping it stand tall even in windy conditions.
- **Water Seeker:** Giant Reed can draw up a lot of water from the soil, allowing it to thrive in damp places like riverbanks.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 200-1000 cm
- **Spread:** 100-200 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Arundo gall wasp (*Tetramesa romana*) — Its larvae develop inside the plant's stems.
- **Shelter:** [Red-winged Blackbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-winged-blackbird) (*Agelaius phoeniceus*) — Often builds nests within dense reed stands.
- **Eaten by:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Browses on the young shoots and leaves.

## Traits

- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
- [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

## Collections

- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/grass-like)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Enjoy looking at Giant Reed from a safe distance and avoid touching it without adult supervision.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Giant Reed?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Giant Reed?

200-1000 cm

### How wide does Giant Reed spread?

100-200 cm

### When does Giant Reed bloom?

Late summer to fall

### Is Giant Reed edible?

No

### Is Giant Reed toxic?

None

### What is Giant Reed's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Giant Reed pollinated?

Wind

## Where to spot

- [Cameron Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cameron-park-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo
- [Golden Hill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/golden-hill) — California, US · Neighborhood
- [International Rose Test Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/international-rose-test-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden
- [Luverne Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/luverne-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District
- [Rancho Estelle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rancho-estelle) — US · Historic District
- [Carlsbad State Beach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carlsbad-state-beach) — California, US · State Park

[View all places to see Giant Reed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/giant-reed)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Giant Reed: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/giant-reed)