Scirpus atrovirens Willd.
Green bulrush, dark-green bulrush, dark-green bullrush
Green bulrush is native to North America.
Plants: Plants are 2½–4′ (76–121 cm) tall. A stiff single stalk, rarely more than one, supports a branching cluster at the top, with main branches to 4″ (10 cm) and radiating off in several directions. Each branch tip, in turn, produces some short branchlets, each tipped by a spherical head of 4 to 110 unstalked spikelets. Each spikelet is 1/16–⅛″ (2–5 mm) long, oval to egg-shaped, blunt-tipped. Young splkelets are gray-green to yellow-green, becoming blackish-brown as they mature.
Leaves: 5 to 8 alternate leaves are 8–20 ⨉ ¼–¾″ (20–50 cm ⨉ 7–20 mm). They are yellowish green to dark green, flat, with a central furrow, and rough edges.
Flowers: Branch tips diverge into “branchlets.” At the tip of each branchlet is a rounded head of 4 to 110 stalkless spikelets (flower clusters). Spikelets are 1/16–⅛″ (2–5 mm) long, oval to egg-shaped, and blunt-tipped. Spikelets are gray-green to yellowish-green when young, becoming dark rusty to blackish-brown or blackish-green, with the florets spirally arranged. Blooms appear from June to July.
Fruits: Achenes—the seeds—are ~1/32 ⨉ ~1/32″ (1–1.3 ⨉ 0.4–0.6 mm). Scales are 1/32–1/16″ (1.2–2.1 mm).
Habitats: Wet meadows and shrubby thickets, shores, openings in swamps, marshes, shorelines, and roadside ditches.
Online References:
1/8/2026 · Topsham, Maine 
6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 12 × 17″ (29 × 44 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
9/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (15 × 22 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/22/2023 · Florida Lake Park, Freeport, Maine 
6/14/2019 · J. Harry Rich Trail, Groton, Massachusetts ID is uncertain 
6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain 
7/7/2025 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm) 
6/8/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/7/2017 · Burns Loop Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Burns/Holland Farm, Milford, New Hampshire · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 6″ (18 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain 
9/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (15 × 22 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/7/2017 · Burns Loop Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Burns/Holland Farm, Milford, New Hampshire · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/8/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain 
9/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (12 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain 
5/31/2012 · Bemis Road, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/1/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 5″ (13 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/26/2024 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 4 × 7″ (10 × 17 cm) 
6/27/2025 · Butler Head Preserve, Bath, Maine · ≈ 8 × 10″ (19 × 24 cm) 
5/31/2012 · Bemis Road, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/22/2020 · Warbler’s Way, Moose Alley, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 17 cm) ID is uncertain 
8/22/2020 · Warbler’s Way, Moose Alley, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/26/2014 · J. Harry Rich State Forest, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 7″ (13 × 17 cm) 
7/26/2025 · River Point Conservation Area, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) 
8/4/2025 · Tarbox Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 7 × 10″ (17 × 25 cm) 
6/21/2025 · Hawk Mountain, Waterford, Maine · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (49 × 32 cm) 
6/4/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 7″ (14 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/22/2023 · Florida Lake Park, Freeport, Maine 
6/27/2025 · Butler Head Preserve, Bath, Maine · ≈ 2 × 2′ (67 × 70 cm) 
6/14/2019 · J. Harry Rich Trail, Groton, Massachusetts ID is uncertain 
5/31/2012 · Bemis Road, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/26/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 9″ (26 × 23 cm) 
6/15/2012 · Townsend State Forest, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain 
6/22/2023 · Florida Lake Park, Freeport, Maine 
6/26/2024 · Morse Mountain, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Commelinidae | Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others |
| Order | Cyperales | Flowering plants including grasses |
| Family | Cyperaceae | Sedge family |
| Genus | Scirpus | A Latin name Pliny used for “rush or bulrush” |
| Species | atrovirens | Very dark green |
Scirpus atrovirens description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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