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Schoenoplectus cyperinus (Woolgrass)

Schoenoplectus cyperinus (Woolgrass)

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More information on the 2027 crop to come

A genuinely important wetland species for waterfowl and marsh wildlife, woolgrass's fuzzy, attention-grabbing seed heads aren't just ornamental - they provide real food and cover for ducks and other marsh-dwelling creatures throughout the fall and winter months.

Species Overview

Schoenoplectus cyperinus (also classified as Scirpus cyperinus), commonly called woolgrass, is a robust, densely-tufted sedge native to wetlands across North America, growing 3 to 6 feet tall. Its terminal clusters of spikelets develop a distinctive reddish-brown, wool-like appearance as seed matures from August through October, giving the species its common name.

Application

  • Rain garden and pond-edge plantings - ornamental woolly seed heads
  • Wetland restoration - important food and cover source for waterfowl
  • Stormwater management and erosion control on wet sites
  • Naturalistic marsh and wet meadow plantings

Growing Conditions / Specification Data

  • Light: Full Sun to Part Shade
  • Soil/Moisture Tolerance: Wet to medium-wet soils; muddy, sandy, or gravelly
  • Plant Type: Graminoid
  • Mature Height: 4-8 ft.
  • Fall Color: Insignificant/None
  • Wetland Indicator Status: NI (No Indicator) - see flags
  • Native Range: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (full list)
  • Pollinator Value: None significant - wind-pollinated wetland sedge/bulrush, no meaningful nectar or pollen resource.
  • Hydrology: Moist-Wet
  • Root Depth: Shallow (Under 12 in.)
  • Salinity Tolerance: Low
  • Growth Rate: Moderate
  • Drought Tolerance: Low
  • Deer Resistance: Yes (Rarely Damaged)
  • Flood Tolerance: High - A wetland bulrush appearing on a formal wetland plant reference list (as Scirpus cyperinus, an accepted synonym).
  • Shade Tolerance: Intermediate
  • Growth Habit: Clumping/Mounding
  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8

Planting Guidance

  • Actively grows during cool spring and fall temperatures. Forms clumps from spreading rhizomes that can be divided in spring to start new plants; woolly seed heads persist and are ornamentally attractive from August through October.
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