Invasive reed grass confirmed spreading along Utah roadside wetland
iNaturalist: whatssnew
Invasive Species
If you walk or garden near wetlands and ditches in the Salt Lake Valley, this towering grass can crowd out native cattails and sedges within a few growing seasons once it takes hold.
Someone out walking near W Lake Park Blvd in West Valley City, Utah spotted a stand of common reed and logged it on iNaturalist, where other naturalists confirmed the ID, making it a trusted record. Common reed is one of those plants that looks pretty swaying in the wind but is actually a well-known invasive species that takes over wetlands fast, pushing out the native plants and animals that depend on them.
Key Findings
Observation reached 'research-grade' status on iNaturalist, meaning the species ID was confirmed by multiple community reviewers
Location pinpointed to W Lake Park Blvd in West Valley City, Utah, a roadside/wetland-adjacent habitat typical for this species
Common reed (Phragmites australis) is a well-documented invasive grass in North American wetlands, known for rapid clonal spread via rhizomes
chevron_right Technical Summary
A citizen scientist confirmed a patch of common reed, an aggressive invasive wetland grass, growing along a road in West Valley City, Utah, giving land managers a verified data point for tracking its spread.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
common reed (Phragmites australis) observed in W Lake Park Blvd, West Valley City, UT, US
Research-grade observation of common reed in W Lake Park Blvd, West Valley City, UT, US.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Phragmites australis, known as the common reed, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae. It is a wetland grass that can grow up to 20 feet tall and has a cosmopolitan distribution worldwide.