Common Cattail vs Panicled Bulrush - TreeTime.ca

Common Cattail vs Panicled Bulrush

Typha latifolia

Scirpus microcarpus

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Common Cattail
Panicled Bulrush

Cattail is found all across North America, growing next to water. Like other waterside plants, Cattail provides erosion control and forage for animals.

It is suitable for land reclamation. Cattail is able to tolerate cold weather and occasional flooding.

Panicled Bulrush is a native perennial sedge that thrives in saturated soils and shallow water. Spreading readily by rhizomes, it quickly forms tall clumps that make it especially valuable for riparian plantings, erosion control, ecological restoration, and naturalization projects.
Its many-branched clusters of small flower heads give the plant its name and add texture to wetland landscapes. In addition to stabilizing shorelines and improving habitat quality, Panicled Bulrush provides food and cover for waterfowl, small mammals, and other wildlife. A cool-season grower, it is most active in spring and fall, slowing or going dormant during the heat of summer.

Common Cattail Quick Facts

Panicled Bulrush Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, 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


Foliage: thick, flat
Flowers: yellow and green
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: baco, bulrush, cat o nine tails, cossack asparagus, flag, reed mace, rush
Other Names: red-sheathed bulrush, red-tinged bulrush, small-flowered bulrush, small-fruited bulrush