Hard Stem Bulrush (Scirpus acutus)

Family: Cyperaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Scirpus acutus is a PERENNIAL growing to 2 m (6ft 7in) at a fast rate.The seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Leaves, Shoots, Roots/Tubers, Pollen

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Rich in starch, it has been ground into a powder and used with cereal flours in making bread. — Root - raw or cooked.; Rich in starch, it has been ground into a powder and used with cereal flours in making bread.; The roots can be boiled with water and made into a syrup.; The roots are usually peeled before being eaten.

Habitat & North American Range

Fresh, calcareous to brackish marshes, shores and pond margins in water up to 1 metre deep. Plants form extensive clumps in the wild. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)