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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Sparganium eurycarpum (Broadfruit bur-reed)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Sparganium eurycarpum

Sparganium eurycarpum Engelm.

Broadfruit Bur-reed, Giant Bur-reed, Great Bur-reed

Sparganiaceae (Bur-reed Family)

Synonym(s): Sparganium californicum, Sparganium eurycarpum ssp. eurycarpum

USDA Symbol: SPEU

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Sparganium eurycarpum reaches a height of 8 feet (2.5 m) and has two stigmas, not one as in the rest of the group.

The Giant Bur-reed is a member of the bur reed family (family Sparganiaceae). Bur reeds are aquatic or marsh herbs with grass-like leaves, and small flowers densely crowded into globose heads in or above the axils of bract-like leaves. There is one genus with about 15 species occurring in temperate and cool regions of the Northern Hemisphere, Australia, and New Zealand.

 

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Achene , Drupe
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Achene-like drupes.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MT , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SD , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: NB , NL , NS , PE

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Part Shade
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Sparganium eurycarpum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Sparganium eurycarpum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Sparganium eurycarpum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-20
Research By: TWC Staff

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