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Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth

Brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge

Brown woolly sedge is native to the eastern United States and eastern Canada.

Plants: Often called woolgrass, this is a bulrush (a type of sedge, not a grass. Plants are 3–5′ (91–152 cm) tall, with stiff, flowering stems called culms. Culms may be triangular or circular in cross-section.

Leaves: Each culm has 5-10 grasslike arching basal leaves. Leaf blades are up to 2½′ (81 cm) long and ¼–½″ (6.3–12 mm) wide, and flat, or inrolled at the edges.

Flowers: Inflorescences top the culms. They are compound umbels 4–6″ (10–15 cm) around. Individual spikelets are dark green ⅛–¼″ (3.5–8 mm) long, oval to egg-shaped, occurring in groups of 3-7 at the tips of long stalks. The base of the flower cluster consists of leaflike bracts with reddish brown or black sheaths. Flowers appear from June to July.

Fruits: Flowers darken to reddish brown as seed develops, appearing soft and woolly from the tiny brown parachutes attached to the seeds. The seed heads persist well into winter.

Habitats: Wet meadows, swamps, sloughs, marshes, bottomland prairies, stream/pond margins and wet disturbed areas.

Online References:

Minnesotawildflowers.info

The Missouri Botanical Garden

Go Botany

Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth var. condensatus Fernald
Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth var. eriophorum (Michx.) Kunth
Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth var. laxus (A. Gray) Beetle
Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth var. pelius Fernald
Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth var. rubricosus (Fernald) Gilly
Scirpus eriophorum Michx.
Scirpus rubricosus Fernald

 

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/31/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/11/2025 · Skolfield Shore Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 16 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/31/2023 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 10″ (23 × 25 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/20/2021 · Otter Brrok Preserve, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 5 × 4″ (12 × 10 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/11/2025 · Skolfield Shore Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 3½″ (14 × 9.6 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/28/2013 · Andres Institute of Art, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 9″ (16 × 23 cm) ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/11/2025 · Skolfield Shore Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 10 × 8″ (25 × 19 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/31/2018 · Andres Art Institute, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 7″ (14 × 18 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/31/2018 · Andres Art Institute, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 8 × 9″ (20 × 23 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hamp­shire ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

9/5/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 11 × 8″ (26 × 20 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/13/2017 · Burges Pond, Westford, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 15 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/11/2025 · Skolfield Shore Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 6″ (9.6 × 14 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/10/2021 · Fox East Trail, Bradbury Mountain State Park, Pownal, Maine · ≈ 13 × 9″ (33 × 22 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/11/2025 · Skolfield Shore Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 7 × 5″ (17 × 12 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 1 × 2′ (41 × 62 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/20/2024 · Florida Lake, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/13/2017 · Burges Pond, Westford, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3½ × 4½″ (9.3 × 11 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (8.7 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/28/2020 · Jack’s and Litchfield Trails, Chase Reserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 7 × 6″ (17 × 16 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 9 × 14″ (23 × 35 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/28/2013 · Andres Institute of Art, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/10/2021 · Fox East Trail, Bradbury Mountain State Park, Pownal, Maine

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/11/2025 · Skolfield Shore Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 4″ (12 × 10 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/20/2024 · Florida Lake, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

9/5/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, New Hamp­shire ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

7/10/2021 · Fox East Trail, Bradbury Mountain State Park, Pownal, Maine · ≈ 8 × 7″ (20 × 16 cm)

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

9/5/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

Scirpus cyperinus (brown woolly sedge, cottongrass bulrush, woolgrass, wool grass, common woolsedge)

9/29/2012 · Franconia Notch Area, New Hamp­shire · ≈ 4½ × 6″ (11 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassLiliopsidaMonocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
SubclassCommelinidaeDayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
OrderCyperalesFlowering plants including grasses
FamilyCyperaceaeSedge family
GenusScirpusA Latin name Pliny used for “rush or bulrush”
SpeciescyperinusLinnaeus described this taxon as having the overall appearance of a Cyperus, but spikelets like a Scirpus

About plant names...

Range: Zones 4-8:

About this map...

Scirpus cyperinus description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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