Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Typha latifolia

Other names

Great Reedmace, Common Bulrush, Cat’s-tail

Family

Typhaceae

Flowering season

June to August

English distribution

It is found throughout the country.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Bulrush

Habitat

It grows in shallow water or on exposed mud at the edge of

freshwater bodies.

Description

Bulrush is a native, rhizomatous, perennial herb growing

up to 3m.

Flowers are massed together in an elongated, cylindrical

terminal spike.

Male flowers are in a spike just above the female spike

(not separated by a gap as in Lesser Bulrush).

Male flowers have between 1 and 5 stamens.

After flowering the male spikes wither.

Female flowers have 1 ovule, 1 style and 1 linear stigma.

The female spike is persistent, up to 30mm wide and turns

from green to dark brown.

The fruit is a small capsule.

The female spike disintegrates from late July onwards.

Leaves are long, sometimes longer than the flower stems,

and up to 24mm across.