Giant-reed (Arundo donax, Sp. Pl.: 81 (1753))

Family: Poaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 81 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Arundo

Vegetable: False

Observations: W. & C. Asia to Temp. E. Asia

Description

Giant-reed, scientifically known as Arundo donax, is a prominent member of the Poaceae family. This perennial grass is native to Western and Central Asia but has also established itself in temperate regions of Eastern Asia. First described in the famed “Species Plantarum” by the eminent botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753, Giant-reed has intrigued botanists and gardeners alike for centuries.

Arundo donax is notable for its robust growth habit, reaching impressive heights of up to 6 meters or more under optimal conditions. Its tall, cane-like stems, which are often mistaken for bamboo, are topped with feathery plumes that lend an elegant touch to its otherwise imposing stature. These stems can be used for various practical applications, including thatching, weaving, and even as musical instruments such as reeds for woodwind instruments.

The plant thrives in a variety of environments but is particularly well-suited to moist, well-drained soils. It is often found along riverbanks, ditches, and other areas with abundant water. Despite its preference for wet conditions, Giant-reed is remarkably adaptable and can also grow in drier soils if necessary. Its rapid growth rate makes it a useful plant for erosion control and soil stabilization projects.

However, Arundo donax is also recognized as an invasive species in some regions, particularly in parts of the United States and Australia, where it can outcompete native vegetation, thereby disrupting local ecosystems. Its ability to spread rapidly through both seeds and rhizome fragments poses a significant challenge for ecological management.

In addition to its ecological impacts, Giant-reed has garnered attention for its potential in bioenergy production. The high biomass yield of Arundo donax makes it an attractive candidate for biofuel, offering a renewable energy source that could help mitigate carbon emissions when compared to fossil fuels.

Overall, Arundo donax, or Giant-reed, is a plant of considerable interest both for its utilitarian properties and its ecological implications. Whether utilized for practical applications, studied for its environmental impact, or explored for its potential in sustainable energy, Giant-reed remains a significant subject of botanical and environmental research.

Common Names

Fra: canne de provence, roseau à quenouilles, grand roseau
Eng: giant reed, spanish-reed, giant-reed, cow cane
Tur: kargi
Deu: pfahlrohr
Mlt: qasba
Spa: bardiza, canya, canyer, carda, caña, caña común, caña de castilla, caña silvestre, cañavera, cañizo, licera, morsana común
Por: cana, cana-comum, cana-do-reino, canavieira, taquara-do-reino
Ara: ghab, qalam, ghaab, قصيب
Swe: italienskt rör
Ell: kalami, kalamin
Afr: spaanse-riet
Hun: óriás olasznád
Ita: canna domestica
En: Giant-reed, Spanish-reed, Giant reed, Wild cane, Arundo grass, Bamboo reed, Cane, Cow cane, Giant cane, Giant reed grass, Reed grass, River cane, Spanish cane, Spanish reed, GIANTREED, Arundo, Cana brava, Carrizo, Donax cane, Reedgrass, Spanish cane/reed
Af: Spaanse-riet
Sq: Kallmi
Ar: Ghab, Qalam, بوص حجنى, بوص رشيدى, بوص, غاب (غَاب), غاب بلدى (غَاب بَلَدى), غاب رومى (غَاب رومى), غاب مقوس (غَاب مَقَوَّس), غَاب فارسى ( غَاب فَرسى), غَاب مقصوص (غَاب مقصوص), قصب (قَصَب), قصبه (قَصَّبَه), قصبه (قَصْبَه), غاب عملاق, Ghaab, قصيب
Az: Qamışvari qarğı
Eu: Kanabera
Bn: নাল
My: အလိုကျူပင်
Ca: Canya de sant Joan, Canya, Canya comuna
Zh: 芦竹, 芦荻, 蘆竹, 蘆荻
Cs: Tresť obecná
Nl: Pijlriet, Spaans Riet
Fi: Jättiruoko
Fr: Canne de Provence, Grand roseau, Roseau à quenouilles, Calamagrostide faux-phragmite, Calamagrostide faux Roseau
Gl: Cana
De: Pfahlrohr, Riesenschilf, Spanisches rohr, Breitblättriges Pfahlrohr, Riesen-Pfahlrohr, Spanischer Rohr
El: Kalami, Kalamin
He: עבקנה שכיח
Hi: नरकट
Hu: Olasznád, Óriás olasznád
It: Canna domestica, Canna gentile, Canna, Canna di pesce
Mk: Италијанска трска
Ml: ഈറ
Mt: Qasba
Ne: नर्कट
No: Kjemperør
Fa: قمیش
Pl: Lasecznica trzcinowata
Pt: Canas, Cana-do-reino, Cana, Cana-comum, Canavieira, Taquara-do-reino
Pt-br: Canno-do-reino, Capim-plumoso, Cana-do-brejo, Cana-do-reino
Ru: Арундо тростниковый
Sc: Canna
Es: Caña común, Caña de Castilla, Carrizo, NA, Carrizo grande, Caña, Narkhat, Navadni trstikovec, Bardiza, Canya, Canyer, Carda, Caña silvestre, Cañavera, Cañizo, Licera, Morsana común, Cana, Caña hueca, Tacuara
Sv: Italienskt rör
Zh-tw: 蘆竹
Ta: எருவை (புல்)
Te: కాకివెదురు
Th: อ้อ
Zh-hant: 蘆荻
Tr: Kargı, Kargi
Vi: Lau

Synonyms

• Arundo coleotricha var. barbigera (Honda)
• Donax bifarius ((Retz.) Trin. ex Spreng.)
• Donax donax ((L.) Asch. & Graebn.)
• Donax arundinaceus (P.Beauv.)
• Donax bengalensis ((Retz.) P.Beauv.)
• Aira bengalensis ((Retz.) J.F.Gmel.)
• Arundo donax var. variegata (E.Vilm.)
• Amphidonax bengalensis ((Retz.) Steud.)
• Arundo versicolor (Mill.)
• Arundo sativa (Lam.)
• Arundo bambusifolia (Hook.f.)
• Arundo scriptoria (L.)
• Arundo donax var. procerior (Kunth)
• Arundo bengalensis (Retz.)
• Arundo bifaria (Retz.)
• Arundo donax var. lanceolata (Döll)
• Arundo donax var. angustifolia (Döll)
• Donax versicolor ((Mill.) P.Beauv.)
• Arundo longifolia (Salisb. ex Hook.f.)
• Arundo donax f. versicolor ((Mill.) Beetle)
• Arundo latifolia (Salisb.)
• Donax sativus (C.Presl)
• Arundo coleotricha var. versicolor ((Mill.) Stokes)
• Arundo donax var. barbigera ((Honda) Ohwi)
• Scolochloa donax ((L.) Gaudin)
• Arundo coleotricha ((Hack.) Honda)
• Arundo donax var. versicolor ((Mill.) Aiton)
• Arundo donax var. coleotricha (Hack.)
• Arundo aegyptiaca (E.Vilm.)
• Amphidonax bifaria (Nees ex Steud.)
• Cynodon donax ((L.) Raspail)
• Arundo aegyptia (Delile)
• Arundo triflora (Roxb.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Assam (native)
• Bangladesh (native)
• Cambodia (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Gulf States (native)
• Hainan (native)
• India (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Japan (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Laos (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Nansei-shoto (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Ogasawara-shoto (native)
• Oman (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Sinai (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Thailand (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• Vietnam (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• Yemen (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Albania (introduced)
• Aldabra (introduced)
• Algeria (introduced)
• Andaman Is. (introduced)
• Angola (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Austria (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Baleares (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Botswana (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• Brazil Southeast (introduced)
• Brazil West-Central (introduced)
• Bulgaria (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Cape Verde (introduced)
• Caroline Is. (introduced)
• Cayman Is. (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile North (introduced)
• Christmas I. (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Cook Is. (introduced)
• Corse (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• Desventurados Is. (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• East Aegean Is. (introduced)
• Easter Is. (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Egypt (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• France (introduced)
• Free State (introduced)
• French Guiana (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Greece (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Jawa (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Kriti (introduced)
• KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
• Leeward Is. (introduced)
• Libya (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Madagascar (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Malaya (introduced)
• Maluku (introduced)
• Marianas (introduced)
• Marquesas (introduced)
• Marshall Is. (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Gulf (introduced)
• Mexico Northeast (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Mexico Southeast (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Morocco (introduced)
• Namibia (introduced)
• Nauru (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• New Guinea (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Nicaragua (introduced)
• Niue (introduced)
• Norfolk Is. (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Northern Territory (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Philippines (introduced)
• Portugal (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Queensland (introduced)
• Samoa (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Saudi Arabia (introduced)
• Seychelles (introduced)
• Sicilia (introduced)
• Society Is. (introduced)
• Somalia (introduced)
• South Australia (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• Sri Lanka (introduced)
• St.Helena (introduced)
• Sumatera (introduced)
• Suriname (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Tonga (introduced)
• Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
• Tunisia (introduced)
• Turkey-in-Europe (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Vanuatu (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Wallis-Futuna Is. (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Western Australia (introduced)
• Western Sahara (introduced)
• Windward Is. (introduced)
• Yugoslavia (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Leaf

Taken Mar 23, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 23, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 16, 2021 by Kaleidoskop Risu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 4, 2021 by Nigel Nigel Voaden (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 9, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Apr 19, 2019 by LN Santi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 8, 2019 by Laurent PICCO (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 20, 2020 by Nicolas de Hirsching (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 8, 2022 by Nathalie Potel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 25, 2017 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Dec 22, 2021 by Timothy Schaft (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 14, 2019 by guerrero uri (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 8, 2022 by Nathalie Potel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Oct 31, 2021 by Meineke Dietlinde (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 17, 2021 by Aytaç Kurtuba (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 5, 2019 by André van Linn (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 6, 2022 by Miguel A. C. (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 29, 2019 by Nicolas Houlbert (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Oct 8, 2022 by Nathalie Potel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 6, 2022 by Miguel A. C. (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 10, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Sep 3, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 17, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Patrick LEBOULENGER (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 17, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Patrick LEBOULENGER (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 14, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu Sinet (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 22, 2021 by Sanchez Cesar (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2703041)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:390837-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Arundo donax L.)

Specifications

Growth form: Rhizomatous

Growth habit: Subshrub, Shrub, Graminoid

Growth rate: Rapid

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.0

Ph minimum: 4.8

Light: 9

Atmospheric humidity: 8

Bloom months: [‘sep’, ‘oct’]

Soil nutriments: 8

Soil salinity: 1