Schoenoplectus americanus Chairmaker's Bulrush

General

This bulrush grows well in fresh or brackish water and can spread via rhizomes, making it a good choice for salt marsh restoration projects. Seeds will provide food for waterfowl, and the rhizomes are sometimes eaten by muskrats.

Plant Description

Growing to 4' tall. Sharply triangular stems with deep ridges. Usually three or four leaves growing fairly low on the stem. Flowers are spikelets, usually brownish in color, and grow from the side of the stalk several inches below the top.

Height (ft)
4'

Soil moisture
Wet

Soil types
Peat

Wetland indicator
OBL

Shade tolerance
Tolerance

Bloom color
Brown

Bloom period
Spring and Summer

Drought tolerance
Low

Salinity tolerance
Yes

 

Range

Along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, from Massachusetts to Florida, and along the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas. Some populations on the shores of the Great Lakes. Common throughout the Western US from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast.

Kartesz, J.T. 2024. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP) [website http://bonap.org/]

Additional Information

According to BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database, many tribes used this species in basketry weaving and in making traps. The Keres would eat the roots and younger shoots.