Stem

Up to 25 ft. tall and 1.5 in. thick; semi-woody, inflexible and hollow except at the nodes; branching usually does not occur until the second year of growth

Leaves

Alternate; blade is flat, less than 3 ft. long and 1-3 in. wide; edges (margins) are rough textured
Leaf base is lobed, clasps the stem and is fringed with long hairs

Flower

Plume-like with numerous fine branches; 1-2 ft. long and light-brown to purple; does NOT produce viable seed

Photo of giant reed plant with hairy ends

Root

Creeping rhizomes

Photo of giant reed plants growing on the side of a road.

Photo of Giant reed infestation

Other

Grows best in moist soils; known to occur in Churchill, Clark, Mineral, Nye and Washoe counties
Perennial; reproduces by rhizomes and stem fragments
Resembles bamboo; historically planted to reduce erosion and sometimes planted today as an ornamental

Control

Hand removal of small populations can be effective; mowing and tillage are NOT recommended as they produce root and stem fragments that generate new plants
Apply glyphosate, imazapyr or triclopyr after seedhead formation in late summer or fall to foliage or cut stump; treat regrowth in spring or summer of the following year

Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Giant reed, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

Extension Associated Contacts

Wendy Hanson Mazet

Also of Interest:


Field Bindweed - An Attractive Nuisance, and Worse A pretty plant may still be a weed, and field bindweed is a clear example. This attractive relation of morning glory can invade a landscape, interfering with the growth of desired plants both above and below ground. This fact sheet gives information on avoiding and treating field... O'Callaghan, A. and Robinson, M. L. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
How to Identify Pests Using Your Phone When dealing with a pest problem, one of the first challenges is figuring out exactly what you’re up against. Many mobile apps and online tools allow you to take or upload a photo to get possible identifications. Jensen, C.; Johnson, J. 2025, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Blog
"The Good Weed Series: Purslane (Portulaca oleraceav), Desert Gardening in Southern Nevada, Blog Posts 21-01 The Master Gardener Volunteers of Southern Nevada provides horticultural information on gardens, landscapes, plants and other related topics. This blog post is one of many resources of information available to the public to help accomplish this mission. Deever, D. 2021, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds: Russian Knapweed Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens) is a non-native perennial forb (wild flower) that arrived in the United States in the late 1890s. This weed is well adapted, growing in damp to poorly drained soils with high salinity and/or alkalinity. B. Schultz, S. Foster 2021, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, SP-21-02
Field Bindweed - An Attractive Nuisance, and Worse A pretty plant may still be a weed, and field bindweed is a clear example. This attractive relation of morning glory can invade a landscape, interfering with the growth of desired plants both above and below ground. This fact sheet gives information on avoiding and treating field... O'Callaghan, A. and Robinson, M. L. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, FS-20-33

Associated Programs

Weed Warriors Invasive Weed Training

The Weed Warriors program tackles the growing problem of weeds on public and private land.

Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Giant reed