Water reed – the plant
Introduction
Name
Scientifically denomination: phragmites (phragma: Latin for fence) can be classified in three species.
- phragmites communis trin (which you can find in Europe)
- phragmites australis
- phragmites vulgaris
International expressions for water reed
English: reed, reede common, common reed, cane, sedge, bog-reed
German: Schilfrohr, Rohr, Schilf, Teichschilf, gemeines Teichrohr, Reth, Ried, Reith, Ret, Rädje
Dutch: riet
French: roseau, roseau à balais, jonc, jonc à balais, canne
Spanish: cana, junco, canizo, carrizo
Spread of water reed
Water reed is one of the farthest spreading plants in the world. You can find water reed all the globe: Water reed grows from 66° northern latitude (polar circle in Europe) to 23° (Tropic of Capricorn), but it doesn’t grow in permafrost areas and on Iceland. Primarily water reed blossoms in dead water, on even watersides, lenitic or slow flowing water in the coast area and in fens and morasses.
Three essentially climatic conditions are necessary for the growth of water reed:
- prolonged water supply
- periodic break of growth by winter frost, dryness or flood
- 2 meters as the maximum of water depth with fluffily subsoil
Life
Spear: 1 year
Rootstock: till 20 years
Reproduction
Water reed can develop in two different ways. Either water reed directly develops from the seed which happens seldom or from the bud of the rhizome. If there are ideal conditions the water reed will duplicate its square footage in three years. In 4 years 300 square meters arise from one germinated seed.
Next Build-up of water reed…
