Schoenoplectus pungens
Three Square Bulrush
General
An emergent wetland plant commonly found in shallow standing water. Can tolerate periods of drought and complete inundation. Three square bulrush can have rhizomatic spread, and is capable of forming colonies and recovering from damage in this way. Formerly thought to be the same species as Schoenoplectus americanus, and the two plants are easy to mistake for one another. Will provide cover, food, and nesting material for small birds.
Plant Description
Growing in shallow water up to 4' tall. The flowers are spikelets that grow in small clusters usually up to 5 each, appearing to emerge from the side of the stem (the continuation of the "stem" is actually a bract). The stem is triangular and has two or three sheath leaves growing from the base of the plant, and two or three alternate leaf blades growing higher on the plant.
Height (ft)
1-4'
Soil moisture
Wet
Soil types
Sandy loams, silty clays
Wetland indicator
FACW+
Shade tolerance
Intermediate, Full Sun to Partial Shade
Bloom color
Brown
Bloom period
Spring and Summer
Drought tolerance
Low to None
Salinity tolerance
Low to None
Range
Common throughout the United States and North America. In the United States, most common in the western half, and the northeast.
Additional Information
According to BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database, the Paiute tribe would use this species as porridge. They would grind the seeds into a flour and boil into porridge.