If you've got any mystery plants in your backyard, it's better to identify them sooner than later.
A Reddit user posted a picture of a plant they hoped others could identify in r/PortugalExpats.
The attached picture showed a plant with elegant, pointed leaves. The top of each plant had bristles that looked kind of like a bird's wing or feathers.
"What is this tall stuff that looks like flamboyant bamboo?" the original poster asked in the caption. "It's being grown everywhere around me."
Someone replied to the post that it was Cortaderia selloana, which is also known as pampas grass. However, another user wrote that it was actually Arundo donax.
According to the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Arundo donax's leaves are indeed "reminiscent of bamboo." Pictures of it showed that its leaves, similar to those seen in the Reddit post's photo, were thicker than pampas grass. Arundo donax also has many names, which include giant reed, giant reed grass, and Spanish reed.
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Despite that last name, In Spain News reported in March 2025 that the plant was running rampant in Spain's Málaga province. It was disrupting ecosystems, raising flood risks during storms, and creating a huge headache for officials to remove it.
Unfortunately, Arundo donax isn't the only plant that does this outside of its natural habitat.
Invasive plants pose many risks to environments that aren't their own. They can outcompete with native wildlife, use more water to maintain, and be very irritating to remove.
If you're looking to create or redo your outdoor space, consider plants that are native to the land around you. Rewilding your lawn with native plants or planting a natural lawn can save you money and provide for local wildlife. Flowering plants can create more food sources for pollinators, which keep ecosystems and our food supply chains intact.
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Definitely 👍 Revamping your whole outdoor space might not be for you, but that doesn't mean you can't take action. Even partially replacing your lawn can make a difference. Every new square foot of native plants means less stress for you and more support for our planet.
If you don't have a green space of your own, you could try starting or maintaining a community garden. Gardening can provide many mental and physical health benefits. It can be a great way to get to know people around you as well and create a local community.
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