Native Plants

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Anderson, Wynn

Schoenoplectus americanus

Schoenoplectus americanus (Pers.) Volkart ex Schinz & R. Keller

Chairmaker's Bulrush, Olney Three-square

Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)

Synonym(s): Scirpus americanus, Scirpus chilensis, Scirpus conglomeratus, Scirpus olneyi, Scirpus pungens var. longisetus

USDA Symbol: SCAM6

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), PR (N), CAN (N)

Olney Three-square (Schoenoplectus americanus) reaches a height of about 8 feet (2.5 meters). Its small spikelets are all gathered along one side of the stalk near the top.

From the Image Gallery

9 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: Flowers inconspicuous. Bloom color refers to spikelets. Bloom time refers to fruiting period.

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , ID , IL , KS , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , MT , NC , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OK , OR , RI , SC , TX , UT , VA , WA , WY
Canada: BC , NS , PE

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL	OBL	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.

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-03-29
Research By: TWC Staff

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