Translate this page:

Summary

Physical Characteristics

scirpus maritimus is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1 m (3ft 3in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) 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 and can grow in saline soils.
It cannot grow in the 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

Schoenoplectus maritimus. Bolboschoenus maritimus. (L.)Pallas.

Plant Habitats

Pond; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root Seed
Edible Uses:

Root - raw or cooked. Rich in starch, it is usually dried and ground into a powder[2, 55, 74, 144]. The roots form tubers at intervals along their length and new plants are formed from these tubers. When first formed, the tubers are white and starchy with a sweet coconut-milk flavour, they become black and woody with age[193]. Tubers can be up to 2.5cm in diameter[193]. Seed - cooked[257]. They can be ground into a powder and used as a mush[257].

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

The root is astringent and diuretic[240]. It is used in the treatment of amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, abdominal pain or tumours for post-partum females, abdominal distension and indigestion[176].

References More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.

More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Basketry Weaving

The leaves are used in weaving and basketry[74, 257]. The leaves have been used to secure the edges of woven mats, as the warp for sandals, as the warps and twining wefts for clothing, to secure the edges of skirts etc[257]. They have been used to make twined mats for the insides of houses[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:

Celsius Fahrenheit:

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).

Shop Now

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: Oman, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Egypt (Sinai), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russian Federation (Habarovskij kraj, Primorye, Amur, Kamcatskij kraj, Sakhalin) TROPICAL ASIA: India (north), Pakistan, Indochina, Thailand NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Northwest Territories, Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia), United States (Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah), Mexico (Sinaloa, Sonora, Baja California (Norte) Colima, México, Ciudad de México) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Suriname, Peru, Argentina (Buenos Aires, Chubut, Formosa, Mendoza, Río Negro, Tucumán) PACIFIC: United States (Hawaii) 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, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Portugal (Azores, Madeira Islands), Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, South Africa (Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng)

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 itâ€™s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Scirpus acutus	Hard Stem Bulrush	Perennial	2.0	-	F	LMH	SN	MWeWa	3	1	2
Scirpus affinis		Perennial	0.6	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	0	2
Scirpus americanus	American Bulrush	Perennial	0.6	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	0	2
Scirpus caldwellii		Perennial	1.5	-		LMH	SN	M	0	0
Scirpus cyperinus	Woolly Grass Bulrush, Woolgrass	Perennial	1.5	6-9		LMH	SN	MWeWa	1	0	1
Scirpus fluviatilis	River Bulrush	Perennial	2.0	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	1	1
Scirpus lacustris	Bulrush	Perennial	2.5	4-8		LMH	SN	MWeWa	3	1	2
Scirpus litoralis	Bulrush	Perennial	0.0	0-0		LMH	SN	M	0	0
Scirpus maritimus	Seaside Bulrush. Cosmopolitan Bulrush	Perennial	1.0	5-9		LMH	N	MWeWa	3	1	2
Scirpus medianus		Perennial	2.0	-		LMH	SN	M	0	0
Scirpus microcarpus	Panicled Bulrush	Perennial	1.5	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	3	1	1
Scirpus nevadensis	Nevada Bulrush	Perennial	0.3	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	0	1
Scirpus paludosus	Bayonet Grass	Perennial	0.5	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	0
Scirpus subterminalis	Water Bulrush	Perennial	0.6	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	0
Scirpus ternatus		Perennial	1.0	-		LMH	SN	MWeWa	1	0
Scirpus validus	River Club-Rush	Perennial	1.5	6-9		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	1	1
Scirpus validus creber	Soft-Stem Bulrush	Perennial	1.5	6-9		LMH	SN	MWeWa	2	1	1

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.

scirpus maritimus - L.