rufous bulrush
Scirpus pendulus
USDA zones4 to 8
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Sizeup to 5 feet tall
- Habit
- Grass/grass-like
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Bloom color
- Red
- Foliage color
- Green
Garden uses
Notes
Rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) is a grass for meadow plantings. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun and average to wet soil. It reaches up to 60 inches tall and has yellow-green foliage. The drooping flower clusters appear in mid spring and bloom red. Its habit suits wet meadows and marshy spots, so you can use it where the ground stays damp.
Pairs well with Swamp milkweed, Great blue lobelia, and Royal fern.
Native range
AL, AR, AZ, CA, and 35 more places. See all 39
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, and WV; ON.