Family: Poaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Tripidium ravennae (commonly known as Italian sugarcane, plume grass, or ravenna grass) is native to a broad region spanning the Mediterranean to Central Asia and Myanmar, as well as parts of the Sahara and Arabian Peninsula. It is a tall, perennial ornamental grass that can reach impressive heights, often forming dense clumps with upright, cane-like stems and large, feathery flower plumes that appear in late summer to fall. Because of its striking architectural form and drought tolerance, it has been widely planted around the world as a landscape ornamental for screening, erosion control, and visual interest in dry or open garden settings.

Risks & Threats
While Tripidium ravennae is not currently known to be naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands, it does possess traits that raise concern for tropical island ecosystems. It is fast-growing, produces abundant wind-dispersed seeds, and can form dense stands that outcompete and displace native vegetation, especially in disturbed areas and riparian corridors. Once established, it can be difficult to control due to its vigorous rhizomatous growth and persistence. Given these characteristics, it has the potential to negatively impact natural habitats if it were to escape cultivation in Hawaiʻi. For this reason, choosing low-risk ornamental grasses or native Hawaiian alternatives is strongly recommended whenever suitable options are available.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability
  
• Able to grow in regions with tropical climates
  
• Naturalized in the continental United States
  
• Aggressive, weedy grass with potential environmental impacts
  
• Other Saccharum species are invasive
  
• Older plants unpalatable
  
• Potential fire hazard
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Forms dense stands
  
• Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by stem and rhizome fragments
  
• Self-seeds
  
• Reaches maturity in under 2 years
  
• Seeds dispersed by wind, water and intentionally by people
  
• Prolific seed production in some situations
  
• Seeds may form a persistent seed bank
  
• Tolerates and resprouts after cutting and fire

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Palatable to grazing animals when young
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Ornamental
  
• Thrives in full sun (dense shade may limit ability to spread)