Covered with woody plants and marsh grass after the last drought (5)

'covered with woody plants' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to competing as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?

'marsh grass after the last drought' is the wordplay.
'marsh grass' becomes 'reed' (I've seen this before).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'the last' says to take the final letters.
The final letter of 'drought' is 't'.
'reed' after 't' is 'TREED'.

'and' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?