Bur-Reed
Narrow-leaved bur-reed (Sparganium angustifolium) is an aquatic plant, growing in water mostly up to 2.5 m deep, but in deeper water in established locations.
- It is often found in ponds, shallow bays, ditches, marshes, and slow-moving streams
- It can completely fill an area with its floating stems and long narrow leaves.
- It grows from rhizomes
- It produces both male (above) and female (below) globular greenish-light colored inflorescences. The female has a ball-shaped cluster of developing fruits. The male cluster has many stamens.
- All photos taken by the author. Click an image for a lightbox view.
- After flowering 1 or 2 hard nutlet achenes develop from the female flowers.
- The plants are perennial and are widespread.
- It is an important food source and cover for waterfowl and wildlife.
- There are many similar species and a longer list of common names.
- We see this plant in our local lakes where it fills in shallow bays later in summer.
When there is a wind on a lake, the flexible long leaves of Sparganium act like weather vanes, pointing downwind, rolling on waves.