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Upcoming Events | Meet the Instructors | Plant Archive | Mushroom Archive
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Common reed (Phragmites australis) is an edible perennial wetland grass. There is a native and non-native variety.
Common reed is often found growing in dense clumps at the edge of water.
The plant can be identified by its grayish-green lanceolate leaves. It produces dark purple flower spikes in late summer, which fade to brown in the fall.
The entire plant is edible raw or cooked. In the spring, young shoots can be eaten like bamboo shoots. Roots can be prepared like a potato.
The plant is also commonly used for basket weaving.
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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.
