hardstem bulrush
Schoenoplectus acutus
The stems contain aerenchyma, specialized spongy tissue with air chambers that allow the plant to breathe while submerged in deep water.
- Scientific name
- Schoenoplectus acutus
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Poales › Cyperaceae › Schoenoplectus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Freshwater and brackish marshes, lakeshores, and slow-moving stream banks.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (Sunlight, water, and soil minerals).
- Range
- North America, Canada, United States, Mexico
- Size
- 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) in height.
- Lifespan
- Perennial; rhizome colonies can persist for decades.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Wetland drainage, water pollution, and competition from invasive species like Phragmites.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. These plants are safe to touch, but avoid trampling the root systems in muddy areas to prevent erosion. They provide vital cover for nesting birds; observe stands from a distance to avoid disturbing hidden wildlife.
Schoenoplectus acutus (syn. Scirpus acutus, Schoenoplectus lacustris, Scirpus lacustris subsp. acutus ), called tule /ˈtuːliː/, common tule , hardstem tule , tule rush , hardstem bulrush , or viscid bulrush , is a giant species of sedge in the plant family Cyperaceae, native to freshwater marshes all over North America. The common name derives from the Nāhuatl word tōllin , and was first applied by the early settlers from New Spain who recognized the marsh plants in the Central Valley of California...
Photo: David Dyck, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/6beddcfc-489c-4962-ae54-8aaa7df22e3a.md