Ricefield bulrush, Bog bulrush
Schoenoplectiella mucronata

Family: Cyperaceae

What it is like

Schoenoplectiella mucronata is an evergreen Perennial growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water.

Height (m): 1.5

Where it is found

Found in wetlands and waterlogged areas. It is a tropical plant.

Origin: Eurasia, Australia. Distributed in the tropics, subtropics and warm-temperate regions of the Old World, from southern Europe and Africa through South and South-East Asia to Japan and Australia. It is introduced and naturalized in the southern United States and South America.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Native to Eurasia and Africa. Also found in USA, Australia, New Caledonia

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Edible Portion: Rhizome, Root.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 1

In China it is used medicinally to release heat, to clear the eyes and to relieve coughing.

Other

Rating: 3

Used in constructed wetlands. Dried stems are woven together to make various products or used as string. The stems are used in Madagascar for making hats. In South-East Asia the stems are used in the production of string, mats, sacks and bags. Ornamental Foliage. Tolerant of waterlogged soils. Landscape Uses: Pond, Lake, River, Marsh, Bog, Water Garden, Marsh Garden. Birds feed on its seeds. Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: biomass (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles).

Industrial Crop: Biomass: Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels

Management: Hay: Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Industrial Crop: Biomass: Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels

Management: Hay: Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Climate: warm temperate to subtropical, Mediterranean. Humidity: aquatic. A sedge with a grass-like form Growing in moist and wet terrestrial habitat, and in shallow water. The root system is well-developed. Prefers waterlogged soils in full sun. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: hay (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Seed, Division

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist, wet, water

Things to keep in mind

It is a weed of rice fields in California. It is an important weed in the cultivation of rice and other crops throughout its distribution range.

Its other names

Local names

Bog bulrush, rough-seed bulrush, ricefield bulrush, Scirpe mucroné (Fr). Castanhol (Po).

Synonyms

Eleocharis triangulata (Roxb.) Sieber ex C.Presl. Heleophylax mucronatus (L.) Schinz & Thell. Hymenochaeta preslii (A.Dietr.) Nakai. Isolepis mucronata (L.) Fourr. Schoenoplectiella triangulata (Roxb.) J.Jung & H.K.Choi. Schoenoplectus javanus (Nees) Palla. Schoenoplectus mucronatus (L.) Palla. Schoenoplectus triangulatus (Roxb.) Soják. Scirpus abactus Ohwi. Scirpus acutus J.Presl & C.Presl [Illegitimate]. Scirpus cognatus Hance. Scirpus glomeratus Scop. [Illegitimate]. Scirpus javanus Nees. Scirpus mauritanicus Steud. Scirpus mucronatus L. Scirpus muticus D.Don. Scirpus mysurensis B.Heyne ex Wall. [Invalid]. Scirpus preslii A.Dietr. Scirpus sundanus Miq. Scirpus triangulatus Roxb. Scirpus tricarinatus Pers.