Synonyms and Other Names: Arundo bifaria Retz., Arundo glauca Bubani, Arundo latifolia Salisb., Arundo sativa Lam., Cynodon donax (L.) Raspail, Donax arundinaceus P. Beauv., Donax donax (L.) Ash. & Graebn., Scolochloa arundinacea (P. Beauv.) Mert. & Koch, Scolochloa donax (L.) Gaudin, Arundo donax var. angustifolia Döll, Arundo donax var. lanceolata Döll Giant cane, bamboo reed, giant reed grass, Arundo grass, donax cane, bamboo cane (Oakins 2001)
Identification: Arundo donax is perennial and one of the largest herbaceous grasses ranging from 2-8 m in height. It is tall, erect, and cane/reed-like in appearance. Rootstocks are fleshy, nearly bulbous, compact masses which extend to tough fibrous roots that penetrate deep into the soil.
Hollow stems range in diameter from 1 to 4 cm and frequently branch in the second year of growth. Stems are hollow with 2-7mm thick walls which are divided by partitions at nodes, the nodes varying in length from 12-30 cm. The outer tissue of the stem is hard and brittle with a smooth glossy surface. This surface turns pale golden yellow when the stem is fully mature. Leaves are broad at the base and taper to a fine point. They emerge from the stem on opposite sides and are 5-8 cm in length. Leaf sheaths are tightly wrapped around the stem and commonly persist after leaves have fallen. Flowers form terminally and are plume-like panicles 30-60 cm long (Perdue 1958). Stems: monocotyledonous structure (Perdue, R.E. 1958); Hollow, segmented clums, 1-4cm in diameter (Oakins 2001)
Flower: panicle, large and plume-like (Bell 1997)
Roots: fiberous, grow up to 5m in depth; Rhizomes (Oakins 2001)
† Populations may not be currently present.
Ecology: Habitat:
The most suitable conditions for Arundo donax are well-drained soils with abundant moisture, but can grow in heavy clay, loose sand, and gravel soils. Its preferred environment is along the border of lakes or along ditches and canals. Arundo donax exhibits low tolerance of soils with calcium carbonate (Perdue 1958). When growing in low-nitrogen conditions the buds of the rhizome are produced at a greater distance apart and the underground structures are greatly expanded. Established plants are tolerant of both drought and flooding as a result of coarse drought-resistant rhizomes and deep penetrating roots.
| Paramter description | Numeric value | Reference |
| pH range | 4.8 - 7.0 | Perdue 1958 |
| Annual precipitation requirement (cm) | 87.5 - 162.5 | Perdue 1958 |
| Nitrogen tolerance (mg/L N) | 4 - 16 | Liao et al. 2017 |
| Phosphorus tolerance (mg/L P) | 0.4 - 3.2 | Liao et al. 2017 |
| Salinity torelance (ds m-1) | 42 | Nackley and Kim 2014 |
| Cold Hardiness scale score | 5 | MN Dept. of Ag. 2025 |
| Minimum temperature tolerance (°C) | -13.88 | USDA 2017 |
| Minimum light tolerance (% of full sunlight) | 10 | Spencer et al. 2005 |
| Minimum frost free days per year (days) | 220 | Perdue 1958; USDA 2017 |
Life history:
The primary mode of reproduction for Arundo donax is vegetative, which is the most common method used for cultivation. Sprouts rise from disturbed stems or rhizomes even if buried 3 to 10 feet deep (USDA Forest Service 2014). Stems and rhizomes remain viable for at least one month upon separation from the parent plant (Wijte et al. 2005). Little is known of seed production. Where Arundo is non-native or invasive, plants reportedly do not produce viable seeds, and stands are genetically uniform. In its native range, particularly in Asia, A. donax is very fertile, with morphological and genetic polymorphy (Jimenéz-Ruiz et al. 2021). Some plants have been grown using seeds collected in Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Iran. Dense seed heads at the top of tall stems are assumed to be used for wind seed dispersal (Perdue 1958). Active growth occurs in the spring, summer, and fall and flowers bloom in late spring (USDA 2017). Recently, mechanical controls such as mowing have been attributed to the spread of Arundo donax thanks to stem fragmentation (Calazans et al. 2023). At favorable conditions canes grow at 0.3 to 0.7 m per week over several months and more than 20 tons per hectare of above-ground dry mass can be produced.
Means of Introduction: This species was brought into California by colonists intentionally from the Mediterranean in the mid-1800s for thacthing roofs and the mistaken belief that it would control erosion in ditches (Hoshovsky 1987, Bell 1997, Herrera and Dudley 2003). Arundo donax was widely cultivated in France for the producing musical instruments. During World War I, troops in France used most of the canes of A. donax for building shelter and for fuel, which created a shortage for instrument makers; as a result, the plant was cultivated in California, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia in an attempt to replace the resource (Perdue, R.E. 1958).
References: (click for full references)
Bell GP (1997). Ecology and management of Arundo donax, and approaches to riparian habitat restoration in southern California. In: Plant Invasions: Studies from North America and Europe.
Boose AB, Holt JS (1999). Environmental effects on asexual reproduction in Arundo donax. Weed Res. 39: 117-127.
Everitt JH, Yang C, Alaniz MA, Davis MR, Nibling FL, Deloach CJ (2004). Canopy Spectra of Giant Reed and Associated Vegetation. J. Range Manage. 57: 561-569
Herrera, A.M., and T.L. Dudley. 2003. Reduction of riparian arthropod abundance and diversity as a consequence of giant reed (Arundo donax) invasion. Biological Invasions, 5(3), 167-177. Biological Invasions 5(3):167-177.
Lambert, A.M., T.L. Dudley, and K. Saltonstall. 2010. Ecology and Impacts of the Large-Statured Invasive Grasses Arundo donax and Phragmites australis in North America. Invasive Plant Science and Management 3(4):489-494.
Lowe S., Browne M., Boudjelas S.,De Poorter M. 2000. 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species: A selection from the gobal invasive species database. The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) a specialist group of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN,. www.issg.org/booklet.pdf).
Pilu, R., F.C. Badone, L. Michela. 2012. Giant reed (Arundo donax L.): A weed plant or a promising energy crop? African Journal of Biotechnology 11(38):9163-9174.
Oakins, A.J., 2001. An assessment and management protocol for Arundo donax in the Salinas Valley Watershed.
Perdue, R.E. 1958. Arundo donax - source of musical reeds and industrial cellulose. Economic Bot. 12: 368-404.
Quinn LD, Holt JS (2008). Ecological Correlates of Invasion by Arundo donax in Three Southern California Riparian Habitats. Biol. Inv. 10: 591-601.
Spencer DF, Ksander GG, Whitehand LC (2005). Spatial and Temporal Variation in RGR and Leaf Quality of a Clonal Riparian Plant: Arundo donax. Aquat. Bot. 81: 27-36.
This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.
