Trichophorum cespitosum
tufted bulrush
Circumboreal (Europe, northern Asia, North America)
Native to North America
Overview
Trichophorum cespitosum is a densely tufted perennial sedge that builds firm, rounded tussocks. The slender, wiry stems are round in cross-section and 4-14 inches (10-35 cm) tall, green through the growing season and turning orange-brown in autumn and winter. The lowest leaf is reduced to a basal sheath bearing only a short blade, so the stems carry almost no obvious leaves. Each stem ends in a single small spikelet a few millimetres long, with a lowest glume about half the spikelet length. It grows on wet, acidic peat such as blanket bog, raised bog, and wet heath, and is a major component of upland moorland vegetation across the north. Because it is tied to permanently wet, nutrient-poor, acidic peat, it does not persist where ground is drained, fertilised, or limed.
Native Range
Trichophorum cespitosum has a circumboreal range, occurring across northern and montane Europe, northern Asia, and North America. In Britain and Ireland it is widespread on the wet uplands of the north and west.Suggested Uses
Grown in bog gardens, peatland and moorland restoration, and naturalistic wet, acidic plantings. The autumn colour of its tussocks adds seasonal interest to wetland schemes. It also features in conservation work re-establishing blanket-bog vegetation.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'2"
Width/Spread4" - 10"
Bloom Information
The inconspicuous terminal spikelets appear in late spring, about May to June. Flowers are wind-pollinated, and the small nutlets ripen and shed over summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Green turning orange-brownGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight