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.