What is the difference between reeds and rushes?
Question:Are bullrushes genuine rushes?
Answers:
This is a great , but tricky question. Firstly the GENUINE Bulrush is a Rush. The plant that everyone calls the Bulrush ( tall erect flower stem with dark brown velvety sausage shaped seed heads), is in fact Reedmace, a true Reed. Following an artist`s error when painting "Moses in the Bulrushes", the Reedmace is commonly, but incorrectly now called a `Bulrush`. This group of plants are a nightmare of descriptive terms and visual differences are always vague. Rushes are related to Lilies, and have (mostly) 3 petals, 3 sepals, and 6 stamens in each flower. Reeds for most people means the Common Reed as used by Thatchers,and Reedmace ( Moses), both found in large swathes in wetlands and lakes, ponds and streams. Both Reeds and Rushes merge with Sedges and Grasses, borrowing same names in a huge confusion of descriptions. Hope that helps as you have chosen the most difficult field of Botany known to man.
Yes. Reeds are the bulbs and rushes are the leaves.
Ed snow is correct give him the points
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