Three-square Rush (Scirpus Americanus) is a Bulrush Sedge that grows 2-3 feet tall with seasonal brown color and forms dense colonies. Stems are sharply triangular and grow up to three feet tall. There are few leaf blades along the stems. The leaves can grow up to eight inches long and are strongly folded. Submerged portions of this aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species.
Sun Exposure | Prairie |
Soil Moisture | Wet, Wet Mesic |
Bloom Time |
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Bloom Color | |
Max Height | 4 feet |
Wetland Code | OBL |
Germ Code | C(60), D |
Seeds Per Ounce | 12,000 |
Edible Uses: "Root - raw or cooked. Rich in starch. Stem. Peeled and eaten raw or cooked Stem base - raw or cooked. Pollen. Rich in protein, it can be added to flour when making bread, cakes etc. Seed - cooked. A nutty flavour. The seed can be ground into a powder, mixed with water, boiled and eaten as a mush. The seed is rather small and fiddly to harvest and utilize."
Medicinal Uses: Unknown
Other Uses: "The leaves, mixed with oil, have been rubbed on a child's head to make the hair grow long and thick. The leaves have been used in making baskets and shopping bags. They have also been woven into hats."
Herbal Uses: Unknown