Poaceae
Cogongrass
Imperata cylindrica
- Family
- Poaceae
- Genus
- Imperata
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Common names
By language (15)
- Burmese
- သက်ကယ်
- Chinese
- 白茅根, 白茅, 大白茅（丝茅）, 黄茅根, 丝茅, 大白茅, 丝毛草根, 大白茅*
- Czech
- Kunai
- Dutch
- Alang alang, Alang-alang
- English
- Cogongrass, Alang-alang, Blady grass, Cogon grass, Cogon grass, Cotton grass, Thatch grass, Cotton wool grass, Japanese bloodgrass, Kunai grass
- Estonian
- Alang-alang, Jaapani mererohi
- Filipino
- Cogon grass, Cogon-grass, Cogongrass, Kogon, Kogun
- French
- Paillote, Paillotte
- German
- Blutgras, Japanisches Blutgras
- Indonesian
- Ilalang
- Japanese
- ツバナ, ボウコン, 白茅
- Javanese
- Wit alang-alang
- Russian
- Аланг-аланг
- Spanish
- Cogon, Cogon de Filipinas, Cogón, Cogón de Filipinas, Marciega, Marciega menor
- Ukrainian
- Когонграс
Synonyms
- Arundo epigeios Forssk. ex Steud.
- Calamagrostis lagurus Koeler
- Imperata allang Jungh.
- Imperata angolensis Fritsch
- Imperata arundinacea Cirillo
- Imperata arundinacea var. africana Andersson
- Imperata arundinacea var. europaea Andersson
- Imperata arundinacea var. glabrescens Buse
- Imperata arundinacea var. indica Andersson
- Imperata arundinacea var. koenigii (Retz.) Benth.
- Imperata arundinacea var. latifolia Hook.f.
- Imperata arundinacea var. pedicellata (Steud.) Debeaux
- Imperata arundinacea var. thunbergii (Retz.) Stapf
- Imperata cylindrica f. pallida Honda
- Imperata cylindrica subsp. koenigii (Retz.) Tzvelev
- Imperata cylindrica var. africana (Andersson) C.E.Hubb.
- Imperata cylindrica var. cylindrica
- Imperata cylindrica var. europaea (Andersson) Asch. & Graebn.
- Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii (Retz.) Perkins
- Imperata cylindrica var. latifolia (Hook.f.) C.E.Hubb.
- Imperata cylindrica var. major (Nees) C.E.Hubb.
- Imperata cylindrica var. parviflora Batt. & Trab.
- Imperata cylindrica var. pedicellata (Steud.) Debeaux
- Imperata cylindrica var. thunbergii (Retz.) T.Durand & Schinz
- Imperata dinteri Pilg.
- Imperata filifolia Nees ex Steud.
- Imperata koenigii (Retz.) P.Beauv.
- Imperata koenigii var. major Nees
- Imperata laguroides (Pourr.) J.Roux
- Imperata latifolia (Hook.f.) L.Liu
- Imperata pedicellata Steud.
- Imperata praecoquis Honda
- Imperata ramosa Andersson
- Imperata robustior A.Chev.
- Imperata sieberi Opiz
- Imperata sisca P.Beauv. ex Steud.
- Imperata thunbergii (Retz.) Nees
- Imperata thunbergii Beauv
- Lagurus cylindricus L.
- Saccharum alopecurus Nees
and 12 more.
Flowers
- In flower
- March to May, October (from 334 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Graminoid
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Lower 48 states: introduced, Pacific Basin: introduced, Pacific Basin: native
Photos
FlowerPhoto: 蜻蜓, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: i_c_riddell, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: chiuluan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FlowerPhoto: Greg Tasney, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist 
FruitPhoto: Harry Rose, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: GearedBull at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Kolforn, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Kevin Faccenda, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Chen Jia Hong, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Ong Jyh Seng, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Siphiwe Bright Zengele, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Licheng Shih, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
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Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.