Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (15/08/15, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Full sun to light shade
Flowering period: Summer
Soil: Poorly drained/ wet (to 30cm water depth)
Eventual Height: 3m
Eventual Spread: 1m
Hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Family: Cyperaceae
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani is an evergreen, grass like water perennial with a clump forming tufted habit. Its blue/ green leaves are round in cross section, up to 3m long and 16mm across. The upper part of the leaf may produce a short blade. Its small brown flowers appear at the ends of the leaf stems as a terminal head of several branches consisting of many compact clusters of egg shaped spikelets. Its roots are rhizomes from which this plant spreads.
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, commonly known as Great Bulrush, Grey Club Rush or Soft Stem Bulrush, is native to most temperate regions of the northern hemisphere including the UK. In its natural habitat it occurs in dune slacks, tidal channels and slow moving brackish waters on the coast. Inland it is found in slow moving rivers, bogs, wet, pasture, shallow pond margins and it occurs in stands.
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Leaf (15/08/15, Kew Gardens, London)
The etymological root of the binomial name Schoenoplectus is derived from the Greek schoinos meaning ‘rush’ and plektos meaning ‘twisted’. Tabernaemontani is named for Jacobus Theodorus (1525 – 1590), called Tabernaemontanus, a German physician and Botanist.
The landscape architect may find Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani useful for UK native wetland planting schemes, at the edges of lakes, ponds or slow moving rivers. It is also useful for brackish and coastal conditions.
Ecologically, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani is valuable along fresh and salt water shorelines helping to buffer against water erosion.
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani prefers wet, poorly drained, fertile soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It will tolerate a water depth to 30cm. It is salt tolerant.
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani requires little maintenance.
Landscape Architecture