Eleocharis palustris
Common Spike-Rush
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Cyperaceae
- Genus
- Eleocharis
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.6 m
- Spread
- 1 m
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
Sap eaten[3]. No more information is given.
- Plant part
- Sap
Material uses
The plant has been used as bedding, for stuffing pillows and to make a pad for sitting on[3].
- Product or use
- Bedding
- Product or use
- Stuffing
Environment
- Range
- An almost cosmopolitan plant, found in most regions of the world including Britain.
- Habitat
- Marshes, ditches and the margins of ponds throughout Britain[1].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- aquatic
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - surface sow in the spring in pots standing in shallow water. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring.
Cultivation
Prefers slightly acid conditions, growing well in shallow water or muddy ground[2]. A very variable species, it is divided into a number of sub-species by some botanists[3].
References
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9