medicinal herbs
River Club-Rush
Scirpus validus

Herb: River Club-Rush

Latin name: Scirpus validus

Synonyms: Schoenoplectus validus, Scirpus tabernaemontani

Family: Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)

Medicinal use of River Club-Rush:

The root is astringent and diuretic. The stem pith is haemostatic. A poultice of the stem pith has been placed under a dressing in order to stop wounds bleeding.

Description of the plant:

Plant:

Perennial

Height:

150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:

July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Shallow water. Ponds and swamps.

Edible parts of River Club-Rush:

Root - raw or cooked. Rich in starch. The root contains a meagre amount of starch. The sweet roots are eaten raw in mid summer. The bruised young roots, when boiled in water, furnish a sweet syrup. Young shoots - cooked. The tender base of the stem is eaten raw in salads. The pollen is used in soups or mixed with flour and used in making bread. It is rich in protein. Seed. No further details are given but it is probably ground into a powder and used in making bread etc. The seed is small and rather fiddly to harvest and utilize.

Other uses of the herb:

The stems are used in weaving and basket making. They are used to make good quality mats for use on the floor, for sleeping on and for making temporary partitions. The stems are pulled off the plant rather than cut to ensure the maximum length of stem.

Propagation of River Club-Rush:

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 the herb: