Crops Reeds (Phragmites spp., Arundo spp.)

Reeds have been widely used over a long period for making woven articles such as mats, and also musical instruments. The common reed ( Phragmites communis ) is also a traditional source of thatching material; for instance, in the United Kingdom there are some 6,500 ha of reedbeds, many being managed to produce thatching reed, cut either annually or in alternate years: consideration is currently being given to the use of second-grade reed as fuel.

Young plants

The stems are stiff, smooth and hollow, growing to a height of 1.5-3 m, bearing greyish-green pointed leaves.

Flowering heads

Purple-brown flower-heads appear in late summer. Plants spread by means of stout rhizomes and stolons, and are commonly found in swampy ground and shallow water throughout temperate and subtropical areas. The giant reed (Arundo donax) is similar but grows much taller (to 6 m), though it flowers only infrequently: it is generally found only in warmer regions and drier habitats than Phragmites. In suitable conditions it has been shown to be a potentially prolific producer of biomass, capable of yielding 20-25 t per ha of dry matter annually for a number of years, which may be used for fibre or energy production.

This entry forms part of the publication Crops for Industry and Energy in Europe

References:

Chisholm, C J (Ed) (1994) Towards a UK Research Strategy For Alternative Crops. Silsoe: Silsoe Research Institute.

Davison, M W & Martin, N V (Eds) (1981) Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain. London: The Readers Digest Association Ltd.

Hubbard, C E (1968) Grasses (2nd Edn). Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.

Mabey, R (1996) Flora Britannica. London: Sinclair-Stevenson .

Relevant EC funded projects:
FAIR-2028
FAIR Proposal 3784