Flowering-rush
Butomus umbellatus
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Type
PlantStatus
CommonWidespreadSeason
Summer At the water's edge.
Flowering Rush is a pretty little plant of shallow wetland habitats, such as canals, ponds and ditches.
While fairly common and widespread across the UK, this rush-like species is nevertheless locally rare, making the Montgomery Canal an important site for it.
This tall and striking perennial plant has upright green stems with long, grass-like leaves, and it spreads with creeping rhizomes (or underground stems).
Even more attractive are its cup-shaped pink flowers which appear in high summer, from July to August, brightening up the canal edge. Though it might resemble a rush, Flowering Rush is actually a family all of its own.
The species was accidentally introduced to North America where it has become a highly invasive species.
Tall and rush-like, this plant has long, thin leaves and can form stands. It displays a clustered flower head with cup-shaped flowers; these have three pale pink petals interspersed with three dark pink sepals.