What is Cogongrass? and Red Barron (red varieties), and may be Cogongrass ( cylindrica (L.) mistaken for other grasses. The red varieties Beauv.), is a very aggressive exotic perennial continue to be sold for ornamental plantings. grass that entered Alabama in 1911 in packing material from Japan. It is on the Federal list What Does Cogongrass Look Like? of noxious weeds and is designated as the Cogongrass has some distinctive world’s seventh worst weed. vegetative features that aid in identification. Cogongrass is spreading rapidly across It rarely grows as a single , but quickly Alabama and the southeast, reducing forest forms patches or infestations, often in a productivity, destroying wildlife habitat, circular pattern. It can grow in full sunlight to encroaching in pasture and hayland, and partial shade. It aggressively invades rights- impacting rights-of way. If left unchecked, it of-way, new forest plantations, open forests, are white, Cogongrass produces can quickly become the dominant understory, old fields, and pastures. segmented, and fluffy, white, plume- choking out desirable vegetation. vary in height, even in the branched. like heads. Cogongrass thrives where fire is a same patch, from 1 to 4 feet. Taller regular occurrence. It is highly flammable lean over in late summer. Leaves measure Rhizomes of cogongrass are white, and creates a severe fire hazard. It burns .5- to 1-inch wide and are commonly 12 to segmented, and branched and can extend extremely hot, especially in winter, and can 30 inches long. The leaves appear to rise 48 inches below the soil surface, but more kill seedling trees and native plants. During directly from the soil, making the grass commonly dominate the upper 6 to 8 inches of a , the heat can be so intense appear stemless, but short stems are the soil surface. Rhizomes have sharp points that it can stress mature pine stands and lead present. The leaves rarely have a lush green and often pierce the roots of other plants and to disease and insect infestation. color and appear yellowish green and may unprotected human feet and hands. Each Dense stands of cogongrass can also turn a reddish color in the fall. segment can give rise to a new plant. destroy wildlife habitat. Cogongrass out- Often the whitish upper midrib of a competes native grasses and forbs that are mature is not centered on the blade Controlling Cogongrass important to many threatened species like as with most grasses, making identification Cogongrass is commonly spread by the , Eastern indigo snake, somewhat easier. Also, leaf margins are contaminated equipment so, when possible, Bachman’s sparrow, Henslow’s sparrow, and rough to the touch due to tiny, saw-like do not work in an infested area. If it is bobwhite quail. serrations, a common trait of other grasses unavoidable, do the contaminated areas last Cogongrass is sometimes called as well. This rough margin can cut the and clean vehicles, equipment, and clothing japgrass, bloodroot grass (red varieties), tongue of a grazing animal, and due to high silica content, cogongrass is a useless before moving into an uncontaminated site. forage crop. Methods for controlling cogongrass Another key identifying feature of may vary according to the rhizome age, cogongrass is its fluffy, white, plume-like mat density, and depth. Young infestations seed heads that appear in late spring or early are usually easier to control than are older summer. Cogongrass can initiate flowering ones. For new patches, tillage can eliminate at other times of the year in response to a cogongrass from an area if it is continued Midrib disturbance such as application, during the course of a growing season. fire, mowing, or the first hard frost. Seed Dry periods during the summer aid in heads range from 2 to 8 inches in length and the control of cogongrass. The area can be can contain as many as 3,000 . Each planted to a fall cover crop and then followed Cogongrass has a whitish upper midrib on a seed has silky, white hairs that blow off like the next season with perennial or annual grass mature leaf that is often not centered on the blade. dandelion seeds. or broadleaf crops. - Wanted Dead Not Alive: Cogongrass: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ ANR-1241/ - Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Department of Agriculture Beauv.) Biology, Ecology and Manage- ment in : http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ WG202 - Cogongrass Forest Management Sheet: http://www.forestry.alabama. Cogongrass gov/Forest_Management/FMS/Inva- Cogongrass varies in height, even in the sive_Species/Cogongrass.pdf same patch, from 1 to 4 feet. Help Needed to Destroy References Many have been tested to con- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, This Nuisance Weed trol cogongrass, but only the active ingredients Wanted Dead Not Alive: Cogongrass, ANR- “” or “imazapyr” have much effect. in Alabama 1241, Sept. 2003. Both of these herbicides may cause injury to Miller, James H. 2003. Nonnative invasive non-target plants. With all herbicides, follow the plants of southern forests: a field guide for label directions carefully. identification and control. Gen. Tech. Rep. Controlling cogongrass can be quite dif- SRS–62. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of ficult. Since it is found around homes, on public Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research properties, paved and earthen roadways, for- Station. 93 p. estland, stream banks, and farmland, there are Alabama Cooperative Extension System, not any generic recommendations for control. Stop Cogongrass Hitchhikers, by Dr. Nancy J. Recommendations should be site specific and Loewenstein, School of Forestry and Wildlife considerate of the surroundings. Sciences, Auburn University. For additional information: Roach, Randy. Cogongrass Control Project  Contact your local Natural Resource Con- For Longleaf Pine In Southwest AL Via The servation Service (NRCS), Alabama Coop- Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Partners erative Extension System office, or for Fish and Wildlife, FWS, Daphne, AL. Tuskegee University. Identifying and Controlling Cogongrass in Georgia, Adapted from Faircloth, W.H., M.G.  See documents in the “References Section” Patterson, J.H. Miller, and D.H. Teem. 2005. of this brochure. Front photo by Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers. If you believe you experienced discrimination when obtaining services from USDA, participating in a  AL Job Sheet No. 595A: http://efotg.nrcs. USDA program, or participating in a program that receives financial assistance from USDA, you may file a complaint with USDA. Information about how to file a discrimination complaint is available usda.gov/references/public/AL/595a.pdf from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or  See the following websites: part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) - Cogongrass Control Recommendations: To file a complaint of discrimination, complete, sign, and mail a program discrimination complaint form, available at any USDA office location or online at www.ascr.usda.gov, or write to: USDA, http://www.cogongrass.org/control.cfm Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, Or call toll free at (866) 632-9992 (voice) to obtain additional information, the - Identifying and Controlling Cogongrass appropriate office or to request documents. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay service at (800) 877-8339 or in Georgia: http://www.cogongrass.org/ (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information cogongrasspub.pdf (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 Helping People Help the Land (voice and TDD). February 2014