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Scirpus americanus - Pers.

Common Name American Bulrush
Family Cyperaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats A very local pant in Britain, growing in the margins of ponds near the sea in Jersey and possibly Lancashire[17].
Range S. W. Europe, including Britain, south and east from the Netherlands to Belgium, Germany and Italy.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Wet Soil Water Plants Semi-shade Full sun
Scirpus americanus American Bulrush


www.fws.gov
Scirpus americanus American Bulrush
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Scirpus americanus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

S. pungens. Vahl.

Plant Habitats

 Pond; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Pollen  Root  Seed  Stem
Edible Uses:

Root - raw or cooked[172, 257]. Rich in starch. Stem. Peeled and eaten raw or cooked[172]. Stem base - raw or cooked[172]. Pollen[172]. Rich in protein, it can be added to flour when making bread, cakes etc. Seed - cooked. A nutty flavour[172]. The seed can be ground into a powder, mixed with water, boiled and eaten as a mush[257]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to harvest and utilize.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

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None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

Other Uses

Basketry  Hair  Weaving

The leaves, mixed with oil, have been rubbed on a child's head to make the hair grow long and thick[257]. The leaves have been used in making baskets and shopping bags[257]. They have also been woven into hats[257].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any wet to moisture retentive ground, pond margins and shallow water in full sun or shade[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

Plant Propagation

Seed - sow in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in a pot standing in 3cm of water. Only just cover the seed with soil[200]. The seed usually germinates fairly quickly. Prick out the plants when large enough to handle and plant out in their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Nova Scotia, British Columbia (south)), United States (Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Kansas (southwest), Missouri,, Oklahoma, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah), Mexico (Chihuahua, Nuevo León, Sonora, Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Ciudad de México). SOUTHERN AMERICA: Hispaniola, Bermuda, Cuba, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis (Nevis), United States (Puerto Rico), Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru (La Libertad), Argentina (Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, La Rioja, Mendoza, Río Negro, San Juan, Santa Fe, Tucumán), Chile, Uruguay

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

IUCN Red List

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Amphiscirpus nevadensisNevada BulrushPerennial0.5 5-9 FLMHNMWeWa203
Scirpus acutusHard Stem BulrushPerennial2.0 - FLMHSNMWeWa312
Scirpus affinis Perennial0.6 -  LMHSNMWeWa202
Scirpus caldwellii Perennial1.5 -  LMHSNM00 
Scirpus cyperinusWoolly Grass Bulrush, WoolgrassPerennial1.5 6-9  LMHSNMWeWa101
Scirpus fluviatilisRiver BulrushPerennial2.0 -  LMHSNMWeWa211
Scirpus lacustrisBulrushPerennial2.5 4-8  LMHSNMWeWa312
Scirpus litoralisBulrushPerennial0.0 0-0  LMHSNM00 
Scirpus maritimusSeaside Bulrush. Cosmopolitan BulrushPerennial1.0 5-9  LMHNMWeWa312
Scirpus medianus Perennial2.0 -  LMHSNM00 
Scirpus microcarpusPanicled BulrushPerennial1.5 -  LMHSNMWeWa311
Scirpus nevadensisNevada BulrushPerennial0.3 -  LMHSNMWeWa201
Scirpus paludosusBayonet GrassPerennial0.5 -  LMHSNMWeWa20 
Scirpus subterminalisWater BulrushPerennial0.6 -  LMHSNMWeWa20 
Scirpus ternatus Perennial1.0 -  LMHSNMWeWa10 
Scirpus validusRiver Club-RushPerennial1.5 6-9  LMHSNMWeWa211
Scirpus validus creberSoft-Stem BulrushPerennial1.5 6-9  LMHSNMWeWa211

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

Pers.

Botanical References

17

Links / References

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Subject : Scirpus americanus  
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