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Cyperaceae FAMILY

Eleocharis palustris

Eleocharis palustris

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

A wetland obligate plant, it grows in sunny positions on fine texture soils in neutral to alkaline or saline conditions. It can grow in areas that are flooded in the spring and saturated in the fall, and also in flooded conditions where the water can be up to one meter deep for most of the growing season[1]. Prefers slightly alkaline conditions with a pH around 7 - 8,[1]. A very variable species, it is divided into a number of sub-species by some botanists[2]. The plant can fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available to other plants in the wetland community[1].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in the spring in pots standing in shallow water. The germination rate may be enhanced by lightly scarifying and then stratifying the seed in a mixture of water and sphagnum moss at 2°c for 30 - 45 days[1]. Germination should begin within about one to two weeks at 32 - 38°c[1]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Eleocharis+palustris>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Plants Database — United States Department of Agriculture · http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet ↩︎An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
  2. [2]Native American Ethnobotany — Moerman. D. · Timber Press. Oregon. · 1998 · ISBN 0-88192-453-9 ↩︎Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
  3. [3]Major Indicator Shrubs and Herbs in Riparian Zones on National Forests of Central Oregon. — Kovalchik B.L.; Hopkins W.E. & Brunsfeld S.J. · USDA Forest Service; Pacific Northwest Region · 1988 ↩︎
  4. [4]Flora of the British Isles. — Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. · Cambridge University Press · 1962 · ISBN - ↩︎A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
  5. [5]Useful Fiber Plants of the World — Dodge C.R. · USDA; Washington. · 1897 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ ↩︎A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.