Woolgrass Bulrush

Scirpus cyperinus

Found in marshes, ditches, beaver ponds, disturbed wet ground. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Good

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

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Height: 3–6 feet
Spread: 2–4 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 3 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 11 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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Scirpus cyperinus — fruit photograph — Nathan Howell; Howell, Krings and Braham (2016) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: Late summer
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 99 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 3

Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal pond margins, Florida and Louisiana to North Carolina; state not identified, a neighboring state.Yellow butterwort beside a moss-hung coastal pond, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Freshwater marshes

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

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 131 animals.

Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica coronata
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Coot
Fulica americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Barred Owl
Strix varia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

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 4a–8b
Flower color: Brown/copper or red
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: 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 summer” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Brown/copper or red” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “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 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “3–6 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, USDA PLANTS, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Spread · “2–4 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Wool Grass Bulrush

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

Spreads by rhizomes. Spreads by short rhizomes and can form dense colonies. Tennessee Smart Yards

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

Woolgrass Bulrush

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Growing cautions

Sources

More Scirpus