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Dark-green Bulrush

Scirpus atrovirens

Found in marshes, bogs, wet meadows. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

45
Good

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
2–5 feet
Spread
3–4 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Moist to wet

Space about 3.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 8 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Bloom
June to September
Fruiting season
Summer to fall

Not yet recorded · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 50 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

Wet meadows

Open, wet, grassy or sedgy ground that is not a bog.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 118 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

13CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Scirpus

  • Apamea sordensBordered Apamea, Rustic Shoulder-Knot
  • Bactra furfuranaRush Bactra
  • Bactra verutanaJavelin Moth
  • Euphyes dionDion Skipper, Sedge Skipper
  • Globia oblongaOblong Sedge Borer Moth, Large Noagria
  • Globia subflavaYellow Sedge Borer, Yellowish Nonagria, Subflava Sedge Borer
  • Helotropha reniformisAmerican Crescent Borer, Reniform Celaena, Reniform Helotropha
  • Ledaea perditalisLost Owlet, 3-Stripe Cephalanthus caterpillar, Buttonbush Owlet
  • Meropleon diversicolorMulticolored Sedgeminer
  • Neonympha mitchelliiMitchell's Satyr
Show all 13
  • Bactra maiorina
  • Cosmopterix scirpicola
  • Donacaula dispersella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
27BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Scirpus

  • Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
  • Anas platyrhynchosMallard
  • Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
  • Aythya affinisLesser Scaup
  • Aythya americanaRedhead
  • Aythya collarisRing-necked Duck
  • Aythya marilaGreater Scaup
  • Aythya valisineriaCanvasback
  • Bucephala clangulaCommon Goldeneye
  • Bucephala islandicaBarrow's Goldeneye
Show all 27
  • Calcarius lapponicusLapland Longspur
  • Calcarius pictusSmith's Longspur
  • Cygnus buccinatorTrumpeter Swan
  • Cygnus columbianusTundra Swan
  • Fulica americanaAmerican Coot
  • Gallinula galeataCommon Gallinule
  • Loxia curvirostraRed Crossbill
  • Mareca americanaAmerican Wigeon
  • Mareca streperaGadwall
  • Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
  • Oxyura jamaicensisRuddy Duck
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
  • Porzana carolinaSora
  • Rallus limicolaVirginia Rail
  • Spatula cyanopteraCinnamon Teal
  • Spizelloides arboreaAmerican Tree Sparrow
  • Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Cyperaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3–9
Flower color
Brown
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Grows in clumps
Foliage color
Dark green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “Late June to September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Brown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth habit · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 3–9” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
  • Height · “2–5 feet” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Light · “Full sun” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Soil · “wet to moderately wet” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Spread · “3–4 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Also known as

Dark green Bulrush; Green Bulrush

Conservation status

Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5?
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

  • Spreads by rhizomes. Naturalizes by both creeping rhizomes and self-seeding and will form colonies if left undisturbed. Tennessee Smart Yards

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources