Tall Manna Grass vs Softstem Bulrush - TreeTime.ca

Tall Manna Grass vs Softstem Bulrush

Glyceria grandis

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Tall Manna Grass
Softstem Bulrush

Manna Grass and other waterside plants are an excellent way to prevent erosion and provide habitat and forage for animals. The difference is that Manna Grass looks better doing it! With distinctive purple grains at the top of its stalks, Manna Grass adds a splash of color to the waterside that most other aquatics can't offer.

Manna Grass is good for returning disturbed sites to nature and provides nourishment to many animals, except for cattle who find it toxic.

Softstem Bulrush is a native perennial sedge that forms dense colonies of tall, upright stems. Thriving in saturated soils and shallow water, it spreads vigorously by rhizomes, creating large colonies that stabilize shorelines, control erosion, and strengthen wetland ecosystems.
Dense stands of Softstem Bulrush create shelter and nesting sites for birds, while also supporting aquatic invertebrates and the larvae of numerous insects. It is also an important food source. Many wetland birds, especially ducks, feed on the seeds, while muskrats feed on the foliage and rhizomes. Well-suited for ecological restoration, waterside & riparian plantings, erosion control, and habitat enhancement projects.

Tall Manna Grass Quick Facts

Softstem Bulrush Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: toxic to cattle

Foliage: long thin leaves
Flowers: purple
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: american manna grass, reed manna grass
Other Names: american great bulrush, common great bulrush, great bulrush, soft-stemmed bulrush