Dark Green Rush

Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District

Dark Green Rush (Common Bulrush)
Scirpus atrovirens [C-value 4]
Sedge family (Cyperaceae)
Blooms Mid-June - Mid-July

The native Dark Green Rush is common in our area. It prefers full to partial sun and wet conditions. Typical habitats are marshes and shorelines. This perennial aquatic is about 2½–4' tall, unbranched, and more or less erect. The green main stem has up to 8 alternate leaves along the its length. The dark green leaf blades are up to 1½' long and up to ¾" across, flattened and furrowed along the middle with rough edges. The culm terminates in an inflorescence consisting of 1-3 compound umbel of spikelets with 3 or more spreading leafy bracts underneath. The compound umbel has several branches in all directions, ¼–4" in length, each terminating in an umbellet of 5-20 spikelets. Individual spikelets are about ¼" in length with overlapping scales and tiny florets that are yellowish green and later become dark brown.

Dark Green Rush at Maramech Forest Preserve June 27, 2017

Dark Green Rush at Maramech Forest Preserve July 8, 2017

Dark Green Rush at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve June 18, 2017

Dark Green Rush at Maramech Forest Preserve June 27, 2017

Dark Green Rush at Blackberry Trail Forest Preserve November 5, 2014

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