Rushing in!

Rushes grow over much of our country, yet their amazing uses are often overlooked. In this blog, we shall focus on identifying and making use of bulrush.

Which rush???
Bulrush or common club-rush (Schoenoplectus lacustris formally Scirpus lacustris) grows in rivers, lakes, ponds and bogs throughout the British Isles. A perennial of up to 3m in height, it can be identified by its green, round stems and brown, egg-shaped spikelets which contain the flowers and then seeds.

Despite growing in the same habitats, bulrush can be differentiated from great reedmace (Typha latifolia) by the latter’s flat leaves and distinct ‘sausage on a stick’ flowerheads. Meanwhile, soft rush (Juncus effusus) prefers to grow in wet/boggy ground (rather than in water), is up to 1.5m high and has thin, round stems.

Bulrush uses
Bulrush roots, shoots, pollen and seeds are worthwhile additions to a foraged diet. The leaves were used historically as a strewing plant, that is, they were spread with fragrant herbs onto the floors of houses and other buildings in order to provide a clean and fresh smelling floor covering. In addition, bulrush has been widely used as matting for floors and walls, chair seating and in basketry. Many of these crafts have been kept alive through contemporary makers.

Gathering and crafting with bulrush allows me to combine two of my great loves – canoeing and weaving. I thus set forth last Summer on the River Avon outside of Bristol with a friend to enjoy a paddle and collect bulrush. Collecting is done by cutting the rush as low in the water as possible, being sure to take a small amount from well-developed stands and so ensure the plants healthy recovery. Each bundle is then dried upright, out of the rain and sun, for several weeks and rehydrated before use. Alternatively, bolts of English-grown, sustainably harvested bulrush can be bought from Rush Matters.

Weaving with bulrush is a joy – it is much softer on the hands than willow, yet still produces beautiful, long-lasting items. The basket below is managing surprisingly heavy shopping loads. I look forward to many more happy trips on the river and producing a range of bulrush items. If this is something that tickles your fancy, do get in touch for advice or to share your experiences.

Resources
Murphy, C. 2018. Rush Basketry: Weaving with Eight Makers. The Basketmakers Association. Barnwell Print.
http://www.rushmatters.co.uk/products/rush-merchant/4/