# 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.

- **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.

## About

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...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/6beddcfc-489c-4962-ae54-8aaa7df22e3a
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59205
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoenoplectus acutus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/129548389/medium.jpeg (David Dyck, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.