Whisky grass
Andropogon virginicus
family
Poaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Common names
Whisky grass, Andropogon, Beard grass, Broom sedge, Bluestem, Whiskey grass, Yellow bluestem.
A long-lived tufted grass usually growing 0.5-1 m tall the older stems and leaves turn reddish-brown or brownish-orange in colour during summer. Its elongated leaves (10-40 cm long and 2-5 mm wide) can be either flat or folded where the leaf sheath meets the leaf blade there is a small membranous structure topped with hairs. Its leafy seed-heads consist of several to numerous pairs of tiny branches (2-3 cm long) that are partly enclosed by brownish leafy bracts 2.5-6 cm long. Its flower-spikelets fall off entire at maturity, usually with numerous long white silky hairs.
Impact
Impact
Whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is regarded as an environmental weed in New South Wales and Queensland. This species invades open woodlands, grasslands, forests and other native vegetation in eastern Australia. However it prefers very open sunny areas and is particularly common along tracks and roadsides. Unlike many exotic weeds, it is also known to invade native plant communities that are extremely deficient in nutrients. Whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is highly flammable at certain times of the year and can significantly alter the fire regime in areas where it invades. It is also known to affect other ecosystem-level functions (e.g. it lowers soil evaporation and causes accelerated erosion). This species is currently of most concern in eastern New South Wales, where it is seen as a threat to the integrity of several plant communities and the survival of some rare and threatened species. It appears on numerous local and regional environmental weed lists in New South Wales (e.g. in the wider Sydney and Blue Mountains region, in the North Coast, Central Coast and South Coast regions, and in the Warringah, Manly, Pittwater and Byron Councils) and also occurs in several conservation areas in this state (e.g. Warriewood Wetlands, National Park, Muogamarra Nature Reserve and Rawdon Creek Nature Reserve). The "invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses" was recently listed as a "key threatening process" in New South Wales, and whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is one of the species specifically mentioned in this listing. Whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is also mentioned as being a significant threat or principal weed species in eucalypt grassy forest/woodlands of the New England Tableland bioregion and swamp sclerophyll forests on coastal floodplains, both of which are endangered ecological communities in New South Wales. In Queensland, whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is mainly a problem in the south-eastern corner of the state. It is ranked among the top 200 most invasive plant species in this region and has been recorded in conservation areas on the Gold Coast (e.g. in the Pimpama Conservation Area).
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is regarded as an environmental weed in New South Wales and Queensland. This species invades open woodlands, grasslands, forests and other native vegetation in eastern Australia. However it prefers very open sunny areas and is particularly common along tracks and roadsides. Unlike many exotic weeds, it is also known to invade native plant communities that are extremely deficient in nutrients. Whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is highly flammable at certain times of the year and can significantly alter the fire regime in areas where it invades. It is also known to affect other ecosystem-level functions (e.g. it lowers soil evaporation and causes accelerated erosion). This species is currently of most concern in eastern New South Wales, where it is seen as a threat to the integrity of several plant communities and the survival of some rare and threatened species. It appears on numerous local and regional environmental weed lists in New South Wales (e.g. in the wider Sydney and Blue Mountains region, in the North Coast, Central Coast and South Coast regions, and in the Warringah, Manly, Pittwater and Byron Councils) and also occurs in several conservation areas in this state (e.g. Warriewood Wetlands, National Park, Muogamarra Nature Reserve and Rawdon Creek Nature Reserve). The "invasion of native plant communities by exotic perennial grasses" was recently listed as a "key threatening process" in New South Wales, and whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is one of the species specifically mentioned in this listing. Whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is also mentioned as being a significant threat or principal weed species in eucalypt grassy forest/woodlands of the New England Tableland bioregion and swamp sclerophyll forests on coastal floodplains, both of which are endangered ecological communities in New South Wales. In Queensland, whisky grass (Andropogon virginicus) is mainly a problem in the south-eastern corner of the state. It is ranked among the top 200 most invasive plant species in this region and has been recorded in conservation areas on the Gold Coast (e.g. in the Pimpama Conservation Area).
