Cogongrass is an aggressive, rhizomatous, perennial grass that
is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions
of the world. It has become established in the southeastern
United States within the last fifty years, with Alabama,
Mississippi, and Florida having extensive acreage of roadway and
pasture infested with cogongrass. Cogongrass first appeared in
the area around Grand Bay, Alabama as an escape from Satsuma
orange crate packing in 1912. It was intentionally introduced
from the Philippines into Mississippi as a possible forage in
1921. Cogongrass was introduced into Florida in the 1930s and
1940s as a potential forage and for soil stabilization purposes.
However, it was revealed that cogongrass was of little economic
(forage) benefit and could become a serious pest. Consequently,
it was placed on the noxious weed list, which prohibits new
plantings. Unfortunately, cogongrass was spread by illegal
plantings and inadvertent transport in forage and in soil during
roadway construction. It does