# Engelmann's Spikerush (*eleocharis engelmannii*)

Engelmann's Spikerush is a tall, grass-like plant that grows in wet areas. It has long, slender stems and tiny flowers that attract insects!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Wetlands, marshes, and along the edges of lakes and rivers.
- **Also known as:** Engelmann's Rush, Spikerush, Water Spikerush

![Engelmann's Spikerush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eleocharis_engelmannii_BB-1913.png&width=800)

Photo: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles S, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eleocharis_engelmannii_BB-1913.png)

## Appearance

The Engelmann'S Spikerush is a slender, grass-like plant with bright green, unbranched stems growing in dense clumps. Its tiny, pointed flower spikes, usually brown or reddish-brown, appear at the very tip of each stem, blending subtly with its grassy appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Cyperaceae
- **Genus:** Eleocharis

## Interesting facts

- Even though it's called a 'rush,' it's actually part of the sedge family!
- Its stems are round and hollow, like miniature green straws!
- Many tiny wetland creatures hide among its dense, grassy stems for shelter.
- This plant helps clean water by absorbing extra nutrients from its wetland home.

## Special abilities

- **Water Resilience:** Engelmann'S Spikerush can thrive in waterlogged soils and shallow water, allowing it to grow where many other plants cannot.
- **Rhizome Anchoring:** This spikerush has underground stems called rhizomes that help it anchor firmly in mucky soil and spread, creating new plants.
- **Seed Power:** Engelmann'S Spikerush produces numerous tiny seeds that can float and disperse widely, helping new plants sprout in distant wet areas.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-50 cm
- **Spread:** 5-15 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — foraging on its abundant seeds in wetlands.
- **Eats:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — may consume rhizomes and basal stems.
- **Shelter:** Mosquitofish (*Gambusia affinis*) — hiding from predators among its dense stems.

## Traits

- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
- [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Engelmann's Spikerush?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Engelmann's Spikerush?

10-50 cm

### How wide does Engelmann's Spikerush spread?

5-15 cm

### How big are the flowers on Engelmann's Spikerush?

0.1-0.3 cm

### When does Engelmann's Spikerush bloom?

Summer

### Is Engelmann's Spikerush edible?

No

### Is Engelmann's Spikerush toxic?

None

### What is Engelmann's Spikerush's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Mount Vernon Woods Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-vernon-woods-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Engelmann's Spikerush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/engelmanns-spikerush)