Suomi
Svenska
Common Spike-Rush
Eleocharis palustris
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Common Spike-Rush is a low, long‑lived wetland plant with stiff, dark green stems, each topped by a single narrow brown flower head. It often forms dense patches along the edges of lakes, ponds, ditches and marshy ground.
Did you know?
- It often spreads into large carpets by creeping underground stems.
- Its stems are solid, not hollow.
About the species
Identification
Perennial 10–60 cm tall. Stems upright, round, 1–2 mm thick, stiff, dark green and solid. No leaves on the stem; at the base are two tight, often reddish wrappers. Each stem ends in one narrow, brown flower head; later it carries many tiny brown, hard seeds. Spreads from thick, creeping underground stems and often forms dense stands. Tell it from similar species by the single tip head and the firm, solid stems; some other spike‑rushes are thinner, softer or paler. Flowers in Finland from June to August.
Plant group
Grasses, sedges and rushes
Habitat
shore
Flowering
Jun–Aug
About the habitat
Grows in shallow water and on muddy, open shores of lakes and ponds, and also on wet meadows, in ditches, pools and boggy ground. Common up to southern Lapland; farther north rather scarce.
Sources
Photo: Karen Wilson, CC0 1.0 https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6253330107
Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Sisävedet: humusjärvet, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40269
Text: Pinkka (Luomus), CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40269
Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rantaluikka
