It has become a in Guam and other Pacific islands. Giant reed was first introduced into the United States at Los Angeles, California in the early 1800s. It is a tall, perennial grass with leaves that are 1-2 inches wide and a foot long. Giant reed chokes riversides and streams and kills native plants. It has a rapid growth rate and once established, it suppresses all other plants.
Giant reed has a number of uses.
Primitive pipe organs were made from it and the reeds for woodwind instruments are still made from its culms. It is also used in basketry, for fishing rods, livestock fodder, medicine, and soil erosion control. It is native to North America and can be found in Nova Scotia, Florida, Nebraska, Colorado, and Arkansas. Giant ragweed can reach heights of more than 8 feet. Its botanical name trifida is from the Latin tri, three, and findere, to divide, referring to its three-lobed leaves.