Cogongrass

Cogongrass -
one of the top 10 noxious weeds in the world
Now in the Francis Marion National Forest
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Cogongrass was first found in the Francis Marion National Forest in November 2006. This very aggressive Asian grass has the potential to eliminate plant and animal diversity throughout the Forest. Cogongrass forms extremely dense stands and it may secrete chemicals that are toxic to other species. No other plants can compete with cogongrass. It has very low value for wildlife because of its rough edges and high silica content. Stands of cogongrass are nearly impenetrable. Cogongrass is fire-tolerant, and disrupts both natural and prescribed fire regimes. The US Forest Service and many other organizations are committed to eradicating cogongrass in the Francis Marion National Forest. Please help by reporting any sighting of this noxious weed to Dr. Jean Everett at everettj@cofc.edu or 843-953-7843. Sightings should also be reported to the Department of Plant Industry at Clemson and to your local Cooperative Extension Office. Even if the plant is on private land, please report it so that we can contact the landowner and offer assistance in eradication. Click here for more information.

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