Planted to prevent erosion

Imperata cylindrica is a species of perennial rhizomatous grass found throughout Australia mostly in coastal and subcoastal areas. It particularly common along the east coast of New South Wales but also found inSouth-East Queensland. Blady Grass grows from 200 cm to 3 metres tall. Its stalk is firm and has nodes covered with long white hairs. The leaves are about 2 cm wide in average and 12–80 cm in length 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. The main vein is a lighter colour than the rest of the leaf and tends to be nearer to one side of the leaf. The upper surface is hairy near the base of the plant while the underside is usually hairless. Its flowers are small and gathered on pedicels 0.5–3 mm long from narrow panicles slightly above its stalks that grow tall as high as 28 cm. Each clump that grows shares an extensive rhizome network, the biomass of which accounts for 60% of the total biomass of the plant. They can penetrate up to 1.2 m deep, but 0.4 m is typical in sandy soil. It is planted extensively for ground cover and soil stabilization near beach areas and other areas subject to erosion. For this reason Blady Grass has been planted in flood zones along Fish Creek at Glenella Street Park and Enoggera Creek at Walton Bridge Reserve. Also native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Africa and Southern Europe.

Imperata cylindrica Blady Grass. Photo: Anne Jones

Seed collection and propagation

Best propagated by division of rhizomes.

Flower of Imperata cylindrica Blady Grass. Photo: Anne Jones