Para grass

• Perennial grass with creeping, prostrate growth habit, up to 1m tall.
• Stems are hollow, robust, erect towards ends, sprout new roots wherever nodes touch ground.
• Leaf blades are hairy, dark green, usually up to 15cm long and less than 1cm wide, taper to long, fine point.
• Flower heads are up to 18cm long, made up of several spikes each about 5cm long.
• Seeds cluster thickly along each spike.

• Grows aggressively in low-lying ungrazed areas and in sugar cane.
• Often found in wet situations, especially drains, but also grows in deep soils in non-swampy areas.

• Found throughout much of coastal and subcoastal Queensland.

• Flowers mostly during summer and autumn.

Environmental

• Aggressively invades cane-growing areas and areas of disturbed remnant vegetation on suitable soils.
• Significantly displaces native plants.
• Poses potential threat to natural wetland ecosystems.

• Seeds spread by floodwater and animals.

• Find out how farmers can prevent weed spread.
• Find out how gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts can prevent weed spread.

Physical control

• Grazing para grass prevents it dominating other vegetation.

Herbicide control

• Herbicides are effective.

Read the Para grass fact sheet (PDF, 691KB) for herbicide control and application rates.

• Para grass is not a prohibited or restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014. However, by law, everyone has a general biosecurity obligation (GBO) to take reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risks associated with invasive plants under their control.
• Local governments must have a biosecurity plan that covers invasive plants in their area. This plan may include actions to be taken on Para grass. Some of these actions may be required under local laws. Contact your local government for more information.