| cogongrass | USDA PLANTS Symbol: IMCY U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Grass or Grasslike |
| Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. |
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Taxonomic Rank: Liliopsida: Cyperales: Poaceae |
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| Synonym(s): cogon grass, alang-alang | |
| Native Range: Old World trop. & temp regions (GRIN); | |
Cogongrass is a perennial, colony-forming grass which can grow up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall. Leaves have an off-center, whitish midrib and finely serrated margins. Leaves are up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) long, 0.5-0.75 in. (1.3-1.9 cm) wide, stiff, and have a sharp, pointed apex. Rhizomes are whitish, branched, scaly and sharp at the tips. Cogongrass is best identified in the spring by the large fuzzy panicle of flowers and seeds, giving the plant a cottony or silky look. Flower heads are 2-8 in. (5.1-20.3 cm) long, silvery-white and cylindrical. Cogongrass is an extremely aggressive invader with the capability of invading a range of sites. It forms dense, usually circular infestations that exclude all other vegetation. Cogongrass is native to Southeast Asia and was accidently introduced into the southeast United States in packing material in the early 1900s. It was also intentionally introduced for erosion control and livestock forage. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
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| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Seed(s); Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); L. M. Marsh, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Florida Division of Plant Industry Archive, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Rhizome / Stolon; Pointed rhizome Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); "Red Baron" variety in a greenhouse Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Large infestation Wilson Faircloth, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Seed(s); seeds on tractor radiator Wilson Faircloth, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Research; Control plots John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Prescribed Fire; Prescribed fire to reduce thatch. Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Control; Art Miller, USDA APHIS PPQ, spraying herbicide USDA APHIS PPQ Archive, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
| EDDMapS Distribution: This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org Alternative content
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 State(s) Where Reported invasive. Based on state level agency and organization lists of invasive plants from WeedUS database. Alternative content
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| U.S. National Parks where reported invasive: |
| Colonial National Historical Park (Virginia) |
