# Flowering-rush (*Butomus umbellatus*) Flowering-rush is a beautiful plant that grows in water. It has tall stems and pretty pink flowers that look like little umbrellas. It loves to be near ponds and lakes! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Flowering-rush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Butomus_umbellatus_-_harilik_luigelill_Keilas.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Butomus_umbellatus_-_harilik_luigelill_Keilas.jpg) ## Appearance The Flowering-rush has tall, sword-like leaves with a triangular cross-section, emerging from water. Its distinctive pink or white flowers grow in a rounded, umbrella-like cluster, called an umbel, atop a sturdy stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Alismatales - **Family:** Butomaceae - **Genus:** Butomus ## Interesting facts - Ancient Snack!: Its starchy roots were roasted and eaten in Europe and Asia long ago. - Hidden Danger!: While beautiful, it can invade wetlands and outcompete important native plants. - Rush Hour Flowers!: Its scientific name, \*umbellatus\*, means "umbrella-like," describing its flower cluster. - Traveler Plant!: Tiny plantlets on its flower heads can drop and grow new plants. ## Special abilities - **Water Wanderer:** Flowering-rush can grow both fully underwater and with leaves emerging, helping it adapt to changing water levels in wetlands. - **Underground Survivor:** It has strong rhizomes that help it spread widely and survive harsh winter conditions or periods of drought. - **Rapid Regrowth:** Fragments of its tough underwater stems and roots can sprout new plants, helping it recover quickly from damage. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from its pink flowers. - **Eaten by:** Mallard duck (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Ducks sometimes eat its seeds or parts of the rhizomes. - **Shelter:** [Northern Pike](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-pike) (*Esox lucius*) — Young pike hide in the dense underwater foliage for protection. - **Shelter:** Northern Leopard Frog (*Rana pipiens*) — Frogs find cover and breeding sites within its stands. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don’t touch plants without asking an adult first, as some plants can be prickly or have bugs. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Flowering-rush? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Flowering-rush? 50-150 cm ### How wide does Flowering-rush spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Flowering-rush? 2-3 cm ### When does Flowering-rush bloom? Summer ### Is Flowering-rush edible? Yes ### Is Flowering-rush toxic? None ### What is Flowering-rush's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Pointe Mouillee State Game Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pointe-mouillee-state-game-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Belle Isle Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belle-isle-park) — US · Botanical Garden - [Old Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-village-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District [View all places to see Flowering-rush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/flowering-rush) ## 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*) --- Source: [Flowering-rush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/flowering-rush)