May 22, 2025 – Nichole Angell, Great Lakes Commission
Non-native Phragmites can be found growing in many different places…wetlands, roadside ditches, lake shorelines, you name it! If there’s standing or slow-moving water, there is potential for phrag to move in, and no one wants this unwanted house guest around. In this blog post we will cover common ways that non-native Phragmites get introduced to lakes, what the impacts are, and what local lake groups can do about it. If you are a local lake association, watershed district, or similar organization you’ll want to give this a read!
How do Phragmites become established in lakes in the first place?
Phragmites can be introduced into inland lakes via intentional and unintentional means. While most introductions are unintentional, sometimes Phragmites can be purposefully planted in decorative displays along lakeshores or intentionally transported for use in waterfowl hunting blinds.
Photo credit: Ceci Weibert, MI EGLE
The most common way Phragmites spread to new locations is via wind dispersed seeds. The plant can also spread when fragments of the plant’s stolons or rhizomes are broken off from a parent plant and hitchhike to a new waterbody on recreational boats, construction equipment, or other outdoor gear.
Inland lake environments can be especially susceptible to Phragmites introductions during the presence of exposed or disturbed shorelines (Minchinton et al. 2003), periods of low water levels (White et al. 2008), increased lawn or nutrient runoff (Uddin and Robinson 2018, or a nearby infested water body.
The impacts of Phragmites on lakeshore property
Photo credit: Roland
If Phragmites becomes established on your property it can be a real pain to deal with and takes dedicated management effort to control or eradicate. Once established, the invasive plant can have detrimental impacts to not only the lakeshore ecosystem but also your ability to enjoy and recreate safety. Tall, dense stands of Phragmites are often difficult to navigate through and block views of the lake. These stands also create a fire hazard, as dead dry biomass accumulates each year providing ideal fuel should a fire break out. Additionally, research has shown that Phragmites negatively impacts lakeshore property values. A study in Michigan calculated that Phragmites removal increases property values at a rate of $3.90 per meter (Isely et al. 2017).
How local lake groups can help!
Lake groups like lake associations, watershed districts, conservation clubs, or similar entities play a huge role in preventing new invasions of Phragmites. Organized groups with a similar vested interest in protecting their local lake or waterbody can divide and conquer frequently needed Phragmites monitoring while building community in doing so. Partnering with local invasive species management groups or experienced contractors is also a great way to learn more about invasive Phragmites management.
Actions to take:
- Monitor! – There are lots of different ways to monitor non-native Phragmites! Learn more and find out which monitoring methods best fit your need here.
- Identify! – Think you’ve found Phragmites? Helpful identification resources can be found here.
- Report! – Once you are sure you’ve found Phragmites, report it using an option found here.
Looking for a printable flyer to post on your local community board about dealing with Phragmites along lakeshores? Check out this open access fact sheet!
Phragmites Lake Group Factsheet
References:
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Albert, A., J. Brisson, F. Belzile, J. Turgeon and C. Lavoie. 2015. Strategies for a successful plant invasion: the reproduction of Phragmites australis in northeastern North America. Journal of Ecology. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12473. Abstract
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Belzile, F., J. Labbe, M.-C. LeBlanc and C. Lavoie. 2010. Seeds contribute strongly to the spread of the invasive genotype of the common reed (Phragmites australis). Biological Invasions, 12(7): 2243-2250. Abstract
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Isely, P., Nordman, E. E., Howard, S., & Bowman, R. (2017). Phragmites removal increases property values in Michigan’s lower Grand River watershed. Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics, 4(1), 5. Abstract
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Minchinton, T. E. and M. D. Bertness. 2003. Disturbances-mediated competition and the spread of Phragmites australis in a coastal marsh. Ecological Applications, 13(5): 1400-1416. Abstract
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Uddin, M. N., & Robinson, R. W. (2018). Can nutrient enrichment influence the invasion of Phragmites australis?. Science of the Total Environment, 613, 1449-1459. Abstract
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Whyte, R. S., D. Trexel-Kroll, D. M. Klarer, R. Shields and D. A. Franko. 2008. The invasion and spread of Phragmites australis during a period of low water in a Lake Erie coastal wetland. Journal of Coastal Research, Special issue 55: 111-120. Abstract