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Scirpus lacustris - L.

Common Name Bulrush
Family Cyperaceae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Bogs, shallow pond margins, rivers and lakes, usually where there is abundant silt, in acid or calcareous conditions[1, 17].
Range Europe, incl Britain, south and east from Lapland to Africa and Asia. N. and C. America, Polynesia.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 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 lacustris Bulrush


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:OldMuzzle
Scirpus lacustris Bulrush
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:360_Scirpus_lacustris_L.,_S._setaceus_L.jpg

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Scirpus lacustris is a PERENNIAL growing to 2.5 m (8ft 2in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower from June to August, 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.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Schoenoplectus lacustris. (L.)Pallas.

Plant Habitats

 Pond; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Pollen  Root  Seed  Shoots  Stem
Edible Uses:

Root - raw or cooked[2, 85, 95, 183]. Rich in starch, it can be dried and ground into a powder or made into a syrup[13, 85, 95, 183]. The buds at the end of the rhizomes are crisp and sweet, making excellent eating raw[183]. Young shoots - raw or cooked[85, 183]. Used in spring. Seed - ground up into a powder and mixed with flour for use in making cakes etc[85, 183]. The seed is small and rather fiddly to harvest and utilize. Base of mature stems - raw or cooked. Somewhat tough[85]. Pollen - raw or cooked. Rich in pollen, it is mixed with flour and used in making cakes etc[85, 183].

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  Cancer  Diuretic

The roots are astringent and diuretic[240]. They were formerly employed medicinally but have fallen into disuse[4]. This plant is a traditional medicine for cancer[218].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Paper  Thatching  Weaving

The stems are frequently used for making matting, chair bottoms etc and thatching[1, 4, 23, 85, 100, 115]. They were at one time imported in large quantities for this purpose[4]. The pith of the stems is used in paper making[100].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any wet to moisture retentive soil, pond margins and shallow water in full sun or shade[1, 200]. Plants can succeed in fairly deep water. Hardy to about -25°c[187]. Some named forms have been selected for their ornamental value[187].

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: Yemen, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran (north), Lebanon, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia), Russian Federation (Altay, Gorno-Altay, Kemerovskaja oblast, Krasnoyarsk (south), Kurganskaja oblast, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Tyumen, Yakutia-Sakha), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia TROPICAL ASIA: India (Jammu and Kashmir) 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), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Eritrea, Lesotho

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 :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Scirpus acutusHard Stem BulrushPerennial2.0 - FLMHSNMWeWa312
Scirpus affinis Perennial0.6 -  LMHSNMWeWa202
Scirpus americanusAmerican BulrushPerennial0.6 -  LMHSNMWeWa202
Scirpus caldwellii Perennial1.5 -  LMHSNM00 
Scirpus cyperinusWoolly Grass Bulrush, WoolgrassPerennial1.5 6-9  LMHSNMWeWa101
Scirpus fluviatilisRiver BulrushPerennial2.0 -  LMHSNMWeWa211
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.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

P at Pickering   Mon Nov 20 2006

Fascinating. I didn't realise rush had so many uses. I use it for chair seating. Are there any large areas of rush growing in (or near) South West Scotland? I've seen lots growing in Ireland, but, unfortunately, the cost of the ferry would make it uneconomic for me to harvest it there. Any information would be most gratefully received.

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future.   Tue Nov 21 2006

The easiest way of finding out if a specific plant is growing in your area is to visit your local library. They will either have a local flora of the area, or will be able to obtain one for you.

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