Known formerly as Reed Mace and also known as Cattail, this tall, upright reed-like plant is commonly seen in rivers, canals, ditches and marshes. The long, narrow, grey-green leaves are flat and up to 2cm wide. The minute flowers are borne in a dense spike which resembles a straight sausage, with the yellow male flowers immediately above the dark brown female flowers. They appear from July to August. The fruits are borne on cottony down and disperse in the wind. The Bulrush is a native plant and belongs to the family Typhaceae.
I first identified this plant in Burren, Co Clare in 1982 and photographed it at Carrig-on-Bannow, Co Wexford in 2005.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
