Woolgrass vs Softstem Bulrush - TreeTime.ca

Woolgrass vs Softstem Bulrush

Scirpus cyperinus

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Woolgrass
Softstem Bulrush

Woolgrass is a native perennial sedge that forms dense clumps in wetlands, ditches, and along shorelines. Its ability to thrive in saturated soils and shallow water, combined with its spreading growth habit, makes it especially valuable for waterside & riparian plantings, erosion control, ecological restoration, and naturalization projects.
The distinctive spikelets are covered in brown woolly bristles, which is where it gets the name Woolgrass. It produces seeds that are eaten by waterfowl and small mammals, while its dense stems offer cover and nesting habitat. It grows most actively in spring and fall, slowing or going dormant in the summer heat.

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.

Woolgrass Quick Facts

Softstem Bulrush Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 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, colony-forming
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium
Spreading: rhizomes - high


Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: brown woolly sedge, common woolgrass, common woolly bulrush, cottongrass bulrush, marsh bulrush, wool grass
Other Names: american great bulrush, common great bulrush, great bulrush, soft-stemmed bulrush