Elephant grass
Pennisetum purpureum
family
Poaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Common names
Elephant grass, Cane grass, Merker grass, Napier grass, Uganda grass.
A very robust grass forming large, bamboo-like, clumps (often 2-4 m tall). The leaf sheaths are hairless to stiffly hairy and there is a dense fringe of hairs where they meet the leaf blades. The large leaf blades (20-120 cm long and 1-5 cm wide) have a prominent whitish central vein the seed-head is spike-like (8-30 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide) and very bristly the flower spikelets are surrounded by numerous bristles, one of which is larger than the others (i.e. 2-4 cm long).
Impact
Impact
Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland, Western Australia and north-eastern New South Wales. It is also seen as a potential environmental weed or "sleeper weed" in other parts of Australia.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland, Western Australia and north-eastern New South Wales. It is also seen as a potential environmental weed or "sleeper weed" in other parts of Australia.
