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Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) is an invasive,
non-native grass which occurs in the southeastern United States.
A pest in 73 countries and considered to be one to the
"Top 10 Worst Weeds in the World", cogongrass affects
pine productivity and survival, wildlife habitat, recreation,
native plants, fire behavior, site management costs and more.
Cogongrass has several common names, including japgrass,
Japanese bloodgrass, Red Baron or speargrass.
This perennial grass from Southeast Asia was introduced into the
United States in 1911 near Mobile, Alabama as packing material
in a shipment of plants from Japan and into Mississippi as a forage crop
before 1920. Later it was introduced into Florida for forage and soil stabilization.
Cogongrass was found to be unsuitable for forage and its ability to
rapidly spread and displace desirable vegetation outweighed any soil
erosion control considerations. Although the transport of this plant
into and throughout the United States is prohibited by federal law,
cogongrass continues to spread throughout the southeast gulf coast
threatening forests, rangelands, natural areas, roadsides and
residential areas.
Cogongrass is currently documented in
62 of the 82 counties in
Mississippi and has become a serious problem for land managers in the
southern part of the state. (See map - Distribution - Mississippi below).
To report a sighting of this invasive grass,
call Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce - Bureau of
Plant Industry at (662) 325-3390.
Landowners Assistance Program
for Attala, Choctaw, Clay, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Lowndes,
Neshoba, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Webster and
Winston Counties. (Updated:
1/07/2010) |
United States
(Map Source: USDA Natural
Resource Conservation Service Plants Database.
Click to enlarge picture)
|
Mississippi
Mississippi counties with
significant levels of cogongrass infestation.
(Map Source: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and
Commerce. Click to enlarge picture). |
Alabama
Cogongrass Interactive Map for the state of
Alabama.
(Map Source: Alabama Forestry Commission.
Click to enlarge picture.) |
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