Cogongrass

Cogongrass/Japanese Blood Grass (North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox) Japanese Bloodgrass is an extremely aggressive weed that is considered invasive in North Carolina. It spreads rapidly through scaly rhizomes and quickly becomes difficult to manage. It is also highly flammable and increases the risk of wildfires. The plant regenerates after a fire and quickly takes over an area. This grass is considered the seventh worst weed in the world and listed as a federal noxious weed by USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Plant Protection and Quarantine.

Cogongrass Biology and Management in the Southeastern United States (Southern Regional Extension Forestry Forest Health) Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of southeastern Asia, this invasive grass is an aggressive pest in more than 73 countries. Cogongrass is present on every continent except Antarctica and is problematic in a wide range of managed forests, cropland, rangeland and natural ecosystems.

Cogongrass in South Carolina: Identification and Management (video, South Carolina Forestry Commission) Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) is one of the most invasive plants on the planet. It is particularly insidious as a pest of our forests; it can tolerate the low light conditions in healthy forests, exploding when more light is let in. Since cogongrass increases fuel loads, forest fires or prescribed burns in infested stands can get hotter than the trees can stand. When the trees die, the increased light allows the cogongrass to explode, effectively converting a forest to grassland. Learn more from the Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry team and the SCFC’s Invasive Species Coordinator.

Field Guide to the Identification of Cogongrass (Alabama Forestry Commission)
This field guide describes and illustrates characteristics of cogongrass and compares them to other grass species commonly found in similar habitats.

Weed Alert: Cogongrass (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)
Cogongrass forms dense stands resulting in the almost total displacement of native plants that are important to wildlife. Cogongrass stands also represent a significant fire hazard on public conservation lands and agricultural forests.

Key ID Features of Cogongrass (cogongrass.org)

Cogongrass Control Recommendations (cogongrass.org)