Canada- Reed's spread alarms officials (Phragmites)

[Staff]

Canada- Reed's spread alarms officials
Posted By Bill Henry, Sun Times Staff

Reed's spread alarms officials - Owen Sound Sun Times - Ontario, CA
excerpt from above:

Known as common reed, phragmites Australis spreads from seeds and through a thick root system. The plant emits a toxin and both chokes out and poisons nearby native plants.

The invader has steadily spread north along Lake Huron's shore since establishing a Bruce County foothold near Kincardine about six years ago. It's in the sandy beach soil at Saugeen Shores, Sauble Beach and Oliphant now and has also reached Georgian Bay wetlands as far as the Midland area.

"Fifteen or 20 years ago we talked about purple loosestrife as the big issue. It pales in comparison to this one. This plant is more devastating both environmentally and economically to Ontario than purple loosestrife ever was."

Concern about the spreading phragmites infestation has deepened following Ontario's ban this spring on cosmetic herbicides. Chemicals were used last summer and fall to great effect on phragmites in both Saugeen Shores and in South Bruce Peninsula at Sauble Beach.

[Equilibrium]

Is anyone NOT seeing this plant everywhere?