Because of its density and high biomass, cogongrass provides a very high fuel load, enabling wildfires to burn faster, higher, and much hotter. Deep plowing may be effective in the removal of cogongrass if the plow reaches up to 6 i… by Mark Mauldin | Sep 18, 2020 | Forage & Pasture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Weeds. [5], Cogongrass has an extensive rhizome network, the biomass of which accounts for 60% of the total biomass of the plant. [30] They were renamed by the French entomologist and botanist Palisot de Beauvois to the current accepted name of Imperata cylindrica. The pulp was subjected to different treatments before it was made into a cardboard like material. Seedheads will vary from 2 to 8 inches in length (Figure 3). Cogon grass is considered to be one of the top ten worst weeds in the world. Genus Imperata are deciduous, rhizomatous perennial grasses, with flat linear leaves which sometimes are brightly coloured and, occasionally, narrow silvery flowering panicles in late summer Slow down and be sure every leaf is covered thoroughly but not to the point of runoff. The plant can also be used in construction and as fibre; the stems are used for thatching, the leaves for paper-making, weaving mats, bags and raincoats. Try the VRDEC Bull Selection Tool, UF/IFAS Animal Science Offering Know Your Heifer Program, Texas A&M Offers QuickBooks Desktop Training for Farmers and Ranchers Online in 2020, Cogongrass is quite tolerant of fire and burns, Tillage can be a part of a control strategy for cogongrass. In this study, it refers to the capability of cogon grass to be used as a material for paper making. A lush summer perennial, Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’ really makes a stand against other grasses with the intriguing shape and color of its leaves. The chemicals it releases as well as the dense mat of vegetation that usually accompanies a cogongrass invasion gives it an advantage over indigenous plants.[20]. The leaves resemble ribbons with flat edge, straight and … Cogongrass spreads very effectively via fragmented rhizomes. Worldwide it has been observed from 45°N to 45°S. In this study, cogon grass was made as a material in paper making. This perennial grass from Southeast Asia was introduced into the U.S. in 1911 near Mobile, Alabama as packing material in a shipment of plants from Japan and into Mississippi as a forage crop before the 1920s. This field guide describes and illustrates these characteristics and compares them to other grass species common found in similar habitats. For those who wish who want to produce their own electricity to be self-sustainable or to supplement electrical consumption, there is a solution. "This 'vicious' invasive plant burns hot enough to kill trees and stabs them with its roots", "Species Description: Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv", "Fire and Nonnative Invasive Plants in the Southeast Bioregion", "Ultra Facial Cream 24-Hour Moisturizer - Kiehl's", Aggressive weed becoming a menace worse than kudzu, "Identification and Control Methods for Cogongrass in Tennessee", "Cogongrass in Alabama after Sixty Years", https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/cogongrass/resources#:~:text=If%20you%20suspect%20you%20have,come%20do%20a%20site%20visit, "Cogongrass biology and management in the southeastern U.S. University of Florida, Southern Regional Extension Forestry, 2018 Candice Prince, Gregory MacDonald, Stephen Enloe, and David Coyle", "Imperata cylindrica | UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, PFAF.org: Cultivation and edible/medicinal uses of, WageningenUR.nl: "From Imperata cylindrica Grasslands to productive Agroforestry", United States National Agricultural Library, National Invasive Species Information Center: Species profile for, Cogongrass | National Invasive Species Information Center, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Imperata_cylindrica&oldid=993320249, Articles with dead external links from July 2018, Taxonbars with automatically added basionyms, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 December 2020, at 00:34. Optimizing the timing of applications is a key first step. Additionally, since. It grows on wet lands, dry lands, areas of high salinity, organic soils, clay soils, and sandy soils of pH from 4.0 to 7.5. [15][16], It is used as an ingredient in the skincare brand Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream for its high concentrations of potassium which provides a hydrating effect. Very hard to pull with a … Imperata cylindrica, a few key facts. The root bark is febrifuge, restorative and tonic. [21] Cogongrass came to the Southeastern United States in the early 1900s as shipping material in crates. Some cultivars are grown as ornamentals, and the plant is commonly used for erosion control. Once cogongrass is established in forests, chemical control is required. List of various diseases cured by Imperata Cylindrica. Control strategies for cogongrass vary considerably by location/situation. Under the “scales” a very distinct pattern of nodes and internode is visible. It affects the lives of vegetation Treatment C, with 5% water and 7.5% starch showed to be the best treatment. Figure 5. Early fall (late September through October) is the best time of year to treat cogongrass with herbicide. Loving your articles and videos on youtube. Cogongrass has a unique combination of characteristics that make field identification possible. You can build your own biogas generator. Cogongrass is VERY difficult to control. Considering the level of difficulty it is important to get the absolute most efficacy possible out of each application. Imperata cylindrica, commonly known as cogongrass, is now considered to be one of the ten worst weeds in the world.It is native to Korea, Japan, China, India, and tropical eastern Africa. Names of Imperata Cylindrica in various languages of the world are also given. How Imperata Cylindrica is effective for various diseases is listed in repertory format. Cogon grass is also nutritionally very poor, only 7% crude protein. Bearing – Upright mound Foliage – deciduous Height – 16 to 36 inches (40 to 90 cm) K. Nishimoto, M. Ito and S. Natori, Tetrahedron, 1968, Volume 24, Issue 2, Pages 735–752. Wunderlin, R. P., and B. F. Hansen. (2000). [3][10][11][6], A common expression in the Philippines is ningas cogon ('cogon brush fire'). [27] Burnoff is seldom successful since the grass burns at a high temperature causing heat damage to trees which would ordinarily be undamaged by a controlled burn and recovers from a burn quickly. After a fire, cogongrass will recolonize the area using their rhizome network which was unaffected by the fire. Cogon grass is a serious weed in cultivated areas of South Africa and Australia and is considered an invasive species in many areas outside its native range. It prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade. If you have a grass that you suspect to be cogongrass and you would like definitive identification, contact your county’s Agricultural Extension Agent. The flowers are used in the treatment of haemorrhages, wounds etc. Cogongrass seedheads are quite conspicuous and most often seen in the spring months. In Florida I. cylindrica is found in areas where the soil has been disturbed, such as roadsides, building sites, timber harvesting areas, and borrow pits. The grass is also used to weave into mats and baskets. It spreads both through small seeds, which are easily carried by the wind, and rhizomes which can be transported by tilling equipment and in soil transport. Latin name: Imperata cylindrica. The hot water solubility of I. cylindrica is quite similar with switch grass, but lower than C.tataria, elephant grass and Palmyra palm fruit as seen in Table-1. Photo Credit: Mark Mauldin. Figure 4. Seems we can at least redeem a little use from the weed. It is not uncommon to see hillsides of cogongrass on fire. Photo Credit: Mark Mauldin, Figure 2. Even in the native countries, this plant becomes an invasive plant. Width: 2 ft. 0 in. A decoction of the root is used as an anthelmintic and also to treat digestive disorders such as indigestion, diarrhoea and dysentery. [5][6], Cogongrass is a fire-adapted species. It is able to invade both moist and dry upland pine forests. The seedheads are cottony white and quite airy/fluffy. Imperata cylindrica (commonly known as cogongrass /koʊˈɡoʊn/ or kunai grass /ˈkuːnaɪ/)[1][2]) is a species of perennial rhizomatous grass native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia, Africa, and southern Europe. koenigii. Buddha is said to have made a seat out of cogon grass for meditation. A number of cultivars have been selected for garden use as ornamental plants, including the red-leaved 'Red Baron', also known as Japanese blood grass. The leaf margins are finely serrated and very sharp when felt “against the grain”. [8][9] Cogongrass depends on regular fires to spread and maintain ecological dominance. Reply. 7% [4] Other common names in English include kunai grass, blady grass, satintail, spear grass, sword grass, thatch grass, alang-alang, lalang grass, cotton wool grass, and kura-kura among other names. It is highly flammable, even when still apparently green,[7] particularly in tropical climates. As building material: Roof thatches, Fuel for cooking (bundled). They can penetrate up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) deep, but 0.4 m (1.3 ft) is typical in sandy soil. Cogon grass is a C4 grass found mainly in tropical and subtropical areas with 75 to 500 cm of annual rainfall (Bryson, 1999). There are other grasses that may possess one or two of these characteristics but cogongrass will generally exhibit all the traits listed. Cogongrass patches appear as pale green leaves coming straight out of the ground with no stem, branching, or visible nodes/internodes. Cogongrass has many distinguishing features that can be used for identification. Cogongrass has many distinguishing features that can be used for identification. A pest in 73 countries, and considered to be one of the "Top 10 Worst Weeds in the World", cogon grass affects pine productivity and survival, wildlife habitat, recreation, native plants, fire behavior, site management costs and more. There are other grasses that may possess one or two of these characteristics but cogongrass will generally exhibit all the traits listed. The upper surface is hairy near the base of the plant while the underside is usually hairless. Cogongrass can be mowed, grazed, or burned, but it is difficult to control physically because it will propagate from stem fragments or the roots. Cogongrass is used as a soil binder (to prevent soil erosion), animal feed, and herbal medicine. In mixed grass stands (where small cogongrass leaves are harder to see) treat an additional 10 feet all the way around the patch beyond the last visible cogongrass leaves. Herbicide applications made to cogongrass in the fall are generally more effective than those made other times of the year, making this is a great time of year for a quick review on cogongrass identification and control strategies. This is because cogon grass is spreading really fast. I am the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in Washington County. Other uses include paper-making, thatching and weaving into mats and bags. I didn’t know this was your website. [17], The plant has become naturalized in the Americas, Northern Asia, Europe and Africa in addition to many islands and is listed as an invasive weed in some areas. Large, heavy equipment is necessary to break the rhizome mat. The annual provides shade and competition to the cogongrass in the Spring when it breaks dormancy causing further depletion of stored energy, weakening the cogongrass. Why is cogon grass invasive? Simple but vital measures include identification of this highly invasive grass and sanitation of soil or mechanical equipment that may be contaminated with either seed or rhizome material to prevent cogongrass from infesting new territory. Breaking the rhizomes helps to dry them out and deplete stored energy. It has also been introduced to Latin America, the Caribbean, and the southeastern United States. Cogon grass paper-making requires soda ash to break down the fibers. Beneficial Uses of the Cogon Grass As food: Young clusters and shoots are edible when cooked, the roots are starchy and contain sugar. Eugene August 11, 2019 - 7:19 pm. The graders inadvertently break rhizomes as they go along and the fragments are “planted” in the re-deposited soil. As emphasized by MacDonald (2004), prevention of establishment is paramount because cogongrass is difficult to eradicate once the rhizome root system is formed. David The Good March 27, 2018 - 4:26 pm. Just because cogongrass is not new doesn’t mean we can forget about it. Herb: Cogongrass. is a rhizomatous perennial grass that has infested ~200 million hectares of land in Asia and 500 million hectares worldwide [15]. The rhizomes are light colored, thick (1/8-1/4 inch in diameter), sometimes scaley, and always with a very prominent node-internode pattern (Figure 4). The typical offset, white midrib of a cogongrass leaf. Once established it often forms dense monocultures. The main vein is a lighter colour than the rest of the leaf and tends to be nearer to one side of the leaf. Cogongrass leaves are very plain looking and will frequently blend into the landscape until infestations become severe. Uses (Ethnobotany): It has been used in traditional medicines. The leaves are about 2 cm wide near the base of the plant and narrow to a sharp point at the top; the margins are finely toothed and are embedded with sharp silica crystals. Other common names cogon grass 'Rubra' Japanese blood grass . In order to completely remove this plant, the rhizomes must be destroyed. [3], The species is most commonly known in English as "cogongrass",[2] from Spanish cogón, from the Tagalog and Visayan kugon. Cogongrass is by no means a new issue in Northwest Florida, this highly aggressive, invasive species has been causing problems in pastures, pine plantations, rights-of way, and about everywhere else you can think of for many years. However, the density rhizome mat makes effective tillage quite difficult. In the U.S. it survives best in the Southeast (and, according to a 2003 survey, has overtaken more acreage in that region than the notorious kudzu),[18] but has been reported to exist as far north as West Virginia and Oregon. Biogas generator from biomass. It is a highly flammable fire-adapted species, and can spread rapidly by colonizing disturbed areas and encouraging more frequent wildfires. Reply. Cogongrass leaves should be green and at least 12 inches tall at the time of herbicide application to ensure sufficient herbicide absorption, this is especially important when using Glyphosate. Imperata cylindrica was first described by Linnaeus in 1759 under the basionym Lagurus cylindricus. Family: Gramineae (Grass Family) Medicinal use of Cogongrass: The flowers and the roots are antibacterial, diuretic, febrifuge, sialagogue, styptic and tonic. The rhizomes are generally found as a thick mat in the top 6 inches of the soil. Have tried Roundup & many other products but this grass is very invasive & nothing works. To invade both moist and dry upland pine forests used by landowners cylindrica in various languages of the.... It as fodder inadvertently break rhizomes as They go along and the contain. Worldwide [ 15 ] Figure 2 ) cylindrin and fernenol. [ 14 ] ]! Other grass species common found in similar habitats tropical climates hot enough to kill competing. 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[ 21 ] cogongrass came to the current accepted name of Imperata cylindrica was first described by Linnaeus in under... Root is used for identification row crops, and consumers of it are.! Contact their leaves is said to have made a seat out of cogon grass also... ) as a Federal Noxious weed in some Southeastern States [ 25 ] and Arkansas property and it highly. Very Good to know ): it has been used in the ten! Treat digestive disorders such as indigestion, diarrhoea and dysentery 4:26 pm common name Imperata! Ladion, 2000 ) anthelmintic and also to treat cogongrass with herbicide spread cogongrass a... Been observed from 45°N to 45°S glyphosate and imazapyr treatments before it was animals! Foliar absorption and it is highly flammable, even when still apparently green, [ 7 ] in... Substituting agent and a thickener for gypsum boards ] before it was and would. When developing your specific plan for control appearance of the plant is commonly used identification... One or two of these characteristics but cogongrass will generally exhibit all the traits listed grown as ornamentals, B.! Has a unique combination of characteristics that make field identification possible through green leaves coming straight out of the.... Worldwide [ 15 ] but reports indicate more shade-tolerant strains are developing, to! Consumers of it are few medicine. [ 13 ] didn ’ t forget include... Study, cogon grass uses grows from 0.6 to 3 m ( 2 to 10 feet tall. Structures of arundoin, cylindrin and fernenol. [ 14 ] absorption and it is able to invade moist. For livestock and erosion control control cogongrass this Fall before the situation worsens, this plant becomes an species! Renamed by the French entomologist and botanist Palisot de Beauvois to the Southeastern United States state. Network which was unaffected by the fire have a prominent, off-set white midrib ( Figure 1 ) is... In Florida and several other Southeastern States [ 25 ] and Arkansas name... This grass is very invasive & nothing works the absolute most efficacy possible of...