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Scirpus acutus

Common name:	Hard Stem Bulrush	Family:	Cyperaceae
Author:	Muehl. ex Bigelow.	Botanical references:	43, 274
Synonyms:	Scirpus occidentalis ((S. Watson.) Chase.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	N. America - Canada and southwards.
Habitat:	Marshes, shores and pond margins in water up to 1 metre deep[43]. Plants form extensive clumps in the wild[212].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	S. acutus var. occidentalis[B] S. lacustris[B,P] S. rubiginosus[B] Schoenoplectus acutus[B,G,P] Schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus[B,P] Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis[B,CPHOTO,CAL,CAL,P] Schoenoplectus lacustris ssp. acutus[B,P] Schoenoplectus rubiginosus[B]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Hardstem Bulrush [FEIS],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	acutus = sharpened to a point
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Cyperales. Sedge family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 2m at a fast rate. . The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Wind. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist or wet soil and can grow in water.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Pond, Bog Garden.

Edible Uses

Leaves Pollen Root Seed.

Root - raw or cooked[62, 161]. Rich in starch, it has been ground into a powder and used with cereal flours in making bread[212]. The roots can be boiled with water and made into a syrup[257]. The roots are usually peeled before being eaten[257].
Pollen[62]. Rich in protein, it can be added to flour when making bread, cakes etc.
Seed[62, 257]. Small and fiddly to utilize.
White stem bases and tender young shoots - raw or cooked[257]. Harvested in the spring[161], they are crisp and sweet[212]. New shoots form in the autumn and make a welcome snack[212].
The inner portions of the stems can be eaten raw[257].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Haemostatic.

The stem pith is haemostatic[257]. A poultice of the pith is placed under a dressing in order to stop the wound bleeding[257].
The roots have been chewed as a preventative to thirst[257].

Other Uses

Basketry Paper Weaving.

A fibre obtained from the stems is used for making paper[189]. The fresh stems can be harvested in summer, or dried stems can be used at any time of the year. The stems are split and cut into usable pieces, soaked for 24 hours in clear water and then cooked for 1½ hours with lye. The fibres are then beaten in a blender and can be used to make a beige/brown paper[189].
The stems and leaves are used for weaving or sewing together into hats, mats, mattresses etc[61, 189, 257]. The stems are very durable and take a year or more to decay in the wild[212].
The stems have been used in basket making[257]. The outer surface of the stems has been split and twisted into weft cords and warp[257].

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Succeeds in any wet to moisture retentive ground, pond margins and shallow water in full sun or shade[200].

Propagation

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[200]. 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.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[FEIS] Data (Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Schoenoplectus acutus (a possible synonym).

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus (a possible synonym).

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis (a possible synonym).

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for the family Cyperaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.

[189] Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 1988
A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[212] Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press 1963 ISBN 63-7093
Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Scirpus+acutus
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