ARUNDO DONAX—Learn about anon-native invasive grass 
that devastates the ecosystems where it grows…details 
ahead on Passport to Texas. 

This is Passport to Texas

Have you seen thickets of tall, leafy plants along 
roadsides that looks like a cross between corn and 
bamboo? It’s called Arundo Donax.

07— It’s a tall, tall, tall grass. It grows up to 30 feet tall, and it 
has kind of a pom-pom thing right at the very top of it.

Angela England is an aquatic invasive species biologist 
with Texas Parks and Wildlife. This giant grass thrives 
along creek and river beds. Growing up to two inches per 
day, Arundo outcompetes native plant communities. 

17—After the Arundo moves in and forms a real thick area, we 
see almost no native plants growing there. And we really 
depend on those native plants—that have thick, deep roots—to 
preserve the soil of those stream banks.

Arundo donax is also a glutton for water.

18—Arundo is so thirsty, it takes up a lot of water and 
evaporates it out to the sky. And so, downstream of thick 
infestations, we actually see less water in the river. And that’s 
really a problem for fish and other animals that require that 
water. 

A new partnership to fight infestations of Arundo Donax 
in Texas. That’s tomorrow.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, Cecilia Nasti.








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