Herb: Woolly Grass Bulrush


Latin name: Scirpus cyperinus


Synonyms: Eriophorum cyperinum


Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)



Edible parts of Woolly Grass Bulrush:

Seed - cooked. Used as a rice substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
August to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Wet low ground. Swamps.

Other uses of Woolly Grass Bulrush:

The stems are woven to make matting and ropes. The small rushes have been used in making woven mats and storage bags. The fruiting tops of the plant have been used as a resilient material for stuffing and making pillows.

Propagation of the herb:

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. 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.

Cultivation of Woolly Grass Bulrush:

Wet low ground. Swamps.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Scirpus cyperinus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.