Practical
Plants

Scirpus americanus

American Bulrush

a perennial member of the Scirpus genus in the family Cyperaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Scirpus
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - raw or cooked[2][4]. Rich in starch. Stem. Peeled and eaten raw or cooked[2]. Stem base - raw or cooked[2]. Pollen[2]. Rich in protein, it can be added to flour when making bread, cakes etc. Seed - cooked. A nutty flavour[2]. The seed can be ground into a powder, mixed with water, boiled and eaten as a mush[4]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to harvest and utilize.

Plant part
Pollen
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Stem

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves, mixed with oil, have been rubbed on a child's head to make the hair grow long and thick[4]. The leaves have been used in making baskets and shopping bags[4]. They have also been woven into hats[4].

Product or use
Basketry
Product or use
Hair care
Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
S. W. Europe, including Britain, south and east from the Netherlands to Belgium, Germany and Italy.
Habitat
A very local pant in Britain, growing in the margins of ponds near the sea in Jersey and possibly Lancashire[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
aquatic
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[3]. 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.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any wet to moisture retentive ground, pond margins and shallow water in full sun or shade[3].

References

  1. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  2. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  4. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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