Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Phragmites australis
Common Reed
Phragmites australis is among the most widely distributed flowering plants on earth, found on every continent except Antarctica, and it behaves the same way everywhere: dense stands of tall canes rising two to four metres from saturated ground, topped by feathery purple-brown plumes in late summer.
It is specified deliberately for constructed wetlands, reed-bed treatment systems and bank stabilisation, where its appetite for nutrients and its dense rhizome mat are exactly the point. In an ornamental pond it is a mistake, because that same rhizome will take the whole thing.
Specifications
- Height2 to 4 metres, occasionally to 6 metres
- WidthSpreads indefinitely by rhizome and stolon and must be contained
- Native toCosmopolitan, occurring on every continent except Antarctica
- FoliageBroad flat grey-green blades on tall canes; deciduous, with the dry canes standing through winter
- Growth rateFast
Conditions
- SoilRequires saturated or seasonally saturated ground; tolerates brackish and nutrient-rich conditions
- LightFull sun
- WaterHigh; grows in standing water to around a metre deep
- ClimateThrives across an exceptionally wide climate range, from cool temperate to tropical
Additional Features
- FlowersFeathery purple-brown plumes in late summer, fading to silver-buff and persisting
- UsesConstructed wetlands, reed-bed water treatment, bank and shoreline stabilisation and screening
- SpacingPlant 0.6 to 1.0 metres apart within a contained bed; it will close the gaps within a season
- Low MaintenanceCut the canes annually and inspect the containment; without a barrier it will spread beyond its bed
- Pest ResistanceRobust and largely untroubled
- Salt ToleranceTolerates brackish water and saline shoreline conditions
- Wind ToleranceFlexible canes stand through exposed conditions and act as an effective windbreak
- Environmental BenefitsUsed specifically for nutrient stripping and phytoremediation in treatment wetlands, and the dense rhizome mat is one of the most effective bank stabilisers available
The Common Reed is a functional wetland species for treatment systems and bank stabilisation, and it must always be planted with containment.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 09 September 2026