Medicinal Monday - Hardstem Bullrush

Hardstem bullrush is in the Sedge Family, that is composed of perennial or annual grass like herbs. They are not actually grasses because their stem and leaves are arranged differently. Hardstem bulrush is a giant species of sedge that is native to freshwater marshes throughout much of North America. Many practical and interesting medicinal uses were practiced by Native American communities. This plant can be found in Connecticut and throughout New England.

photo M.Levin

About Hardstem Bulrush

There are two types of Hardstem Bulrush, schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus which is found in the northern and eastern parts of the United States, and schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis found in the southwest. This blog has to do with schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus. This tall reedy bulrush grows in marshes and in shallow fresh or brackish water. It has erect olive-green stems that are sturdy and have a diameter of up to four inches. Hardstem Bulrush can grow up to ten feet tall and has grass-like leaves.  At the top of this plant, the pannicle is stiff and made up of reddish-brown spikes that bloom from May through August. It spreads by rhizomes.

Practical and Medicinal Uses

Many communities cut up the roots crushed, boiled, and pounded them to make flour. The roots were often boiled to make syrup, and some communities peeled and roasted the roots. It was common for the lower, tender stem base to be eaten raw and for the young shoots to be eaten as greens.  Just some of the common items made from this handy plant by Native Americans include rafts, mats, rugs, baskets, handles, curtains, bedding, hats, bowls, storage containers, roofing, temporary shelters, and even clothing made by twining wefts and warps for cloth. Some communities made the long stems into a ball and used them in children's games.

Hardstem Bulrush also had several interesting medicinal uses with the most common use being to stop bleeding. The Thompson would burn the stalk and put the ashes on a baby's navel and the Cree made a poultice from the stem and applied it as a dressing to a wound to stop the bleeding. The Ciallam used the hollow stem to suck out the cause of an illness. The Navajo Ramah used this plant as a ceremonial emetic and the Okanagan-Colville and the Thompson used the stems to make headdresses for Indian doctors.

M. Lavin

Did You Know...

Hardstem bullrush or Schoenoplectus acutus var is also called tule, tule rush, or viscid bulrush.

This plant once lined the shoreline of Tulare Lake in California. Until this lake was drained it was the largest freshwater lake in the western United States. This plant is so common in California that there is a town called Tulelake, as well as Tule Lake, a Tule River, and a Tule Desert in California, and California's dense fog, Tule Fog is named after this plant.

This plant is used today to control erosion.