Identification
Flowering Rush
Butomus umbellatus L.
Butomaceae (the Flowering Rush Family)
General appearance: A wet-soil or emergent plant, or submersed in water up to several meters deep. Except for its showy flowers, it resembles many of the shoreline grasses, sedges, and rushes with which it often grows.
Leaves: The aerial leaves are long, narrow, and stiff, to 1 m (39 in) tall, while the submerged leaves are limp and flexible. The leaves are triangular in cross-section.
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Stems: Stems are also triangular in cross-section. The flower stalk may reach 1.5 m (59 in) tall or more.
Flowers: Numerous attractive pinkish-white (rarely white or pinkish-brown) flowers about 2-2.5 cm (0.8-1.0 in) across are produced in a terminal head. Each flower is on its own 5-10 cm (2.0-3.9 in) long stalk, with all the stalks coming from about the same point, forming an umbel. Only terrestrial or emergent plants flower. Flowers June through August.
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Seeds: Typically three seeds are produced by each flower.
Habitat: Lakeshores, riverbanks, wetlands, and ditches, on wet soil or in water to several meters deep.
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Sources: Voss (1972), Gleason and Cronquist (1991).
Updated March 2005.
Visitor since March 17, 2006