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Scirpus validus - Vahl.

Common Name River Club-Rush
Family Cyperaceae
USDA hardiness 6-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Fresh to brackish marshes, fens, bogs, lakes, stream banks and bars, pioneering in disturbed places, often emergent in water up to 1 metre deep, from sea level to elevations of 2400 metres[270].
Range N. America - all areas except the extreme north.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Water Plants Semi-shade Full sun
Scirpus validus River Club-Rush


Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Scirpus validus River Club-Rush
James H. Miller @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / James H. Miller and Karl V. Miller. 2005. Forest plants of the southeast and their wildlife uses. University of Georgia Press., Athens.

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Scirpus validus is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from July to August. 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.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

S. tabernaemontani. K.C.Gmel. Schoenoplectus validus. (Vahl.)Löve.

Plant Habitats

 Pond; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Pollen  Root  Seed  Shoots
Edible Uses:

Root - raw or cooked[159, 161, 172, 183]. Rich in starch. The root contains a meagre amount of starch[193]. The sweet roots are eaten raw in mid summer[257]. The bruised young roots, when boiled in water, furnish a sweet syrup[183]. The rhizomes are 3 - 10mm in diameter[270]. Young shoots - cooked[55, 62, 85, 183]. The tender base of the stem is eaten raw in salads[183, 257]. The pollen is used in soups or mixed with flour and used in making bread[177, 183]. It is rich in protein. Seed[62, 85, 159, 183]. No further details are given but it is probably ground into a powder and used in making bread etc. The seed is small and rather fiddly to harvest and utilize.

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent  Diuretic  Haemostatic

The root is astringent and diuretic[152]. The stem pith is haemostatic[257]. A poultice of the stem pith has been placed under a dressing in order to stop wounds bleeding[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Basketry  Weaving

The stems are used in weaving and basket making[189, 257]. They are used to make good quality mats for use on the floor, for sleeping on and for making temporary partitions[257]. The stems are pulled off the plant rather than cut to ensure the maximum length of stem[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:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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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

TEMPERATE ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran, Israel, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation (Altay, Kemerovskaja oblast, Krasnoyarsk, Kurganskaja oblast, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tyumen), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russian Federation (Habarovskij kraj, Primorye, Amur, Kamcatskij kraj, Sakhalin), China (Gansu Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Shaanxi Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng), Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku) TROPICAL ASIA: India (Jammu and Kashmir), Nepal, Pakistan (north), Papua New Guinea, Philippines NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Northwest Territories, Yukon, Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia), United States (Alaska, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah), Mexico (Chihuahua, Tamaulipas, Colima, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Puebla, Yucatán). SOUTHERN AMERICA: Hispaniola, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, United States (Puerto Rico), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil (south), Argentina (Buenos Aires, Chaco, Entre Ríos, Tucumán), Paraguay, Uruguay PACIFIC: United States (Hawaii), New Caledonia, Vanuatu AUSTRALASIA: Australia (Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia (southwest)), New Zealand EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Russian Federation (Kalmykija, Respublika, Astrakhan, Saratov, Volgogradskaja oblast), Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia

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 :

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Scirpus medianus Perennial2.0 -  LMHSNM00 
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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.

 

Expert comment

Author

Vahl.

Botanical References

43235270

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