What does bulrush mean?
Bulrush is the common name for several tall, water-loving plants found at the margins of lakes, rivers, and marshes. Strictly speaking, botanists apply the term to sedges of the genus Schoenoplectus, which have round stems topped with clusters of brownish spikelets; however, in everyday British speech 'bulrush' more often refers to the reedmace (Typha), familiar for its striking brown, sausage-shaped flower heads. In North America the same Typha plants go by the name cattail. The word also carries a strong cultural resonance through its appearance in the Book of Exodus, where the infant Moses is hidden 'in the bulrushes' along the Nile — a reference there being to papyrus reeds. Used naturally in nature writing, garden design, and biblical commentary, bulrush evokes quiet watersides and traditional crafts such as mat- and basket-weaving, making it a richly layered word despite its humble subject.
nounA tall wetland plant with long, slender stems and rounded brown flower spikes, belonging to the sedge family; in North America the name commonly refers to what Britons call the reedmace or cattail (Typha), while in biblical contexts it denotes the papyrus reed of the Nile.
- A tall marsh plant of the sedge genus Schoenoplectus with cylindrical stems and clusters of brown spikelets.
- In British popular usage, the reedmace or cattail (Typha) with its distinctive brown sausage-shaped flower heads.
- In biblical translation, the papyrus reed (Cyperus papyrus) of the Nile, notably in the story of Moses.
"The heron stood motionless among the bulrushes at the edge of the marsh."
"Woven bulrush mats lined the walls of the ancient lakeside dwelling."
"She pointed out the bulrushes nodding over the pond, their brown seed heads already bursting."
The plural is standard and far more common than the singular, since the plant typically grows in stands or beds.
"The wind moved in slow waves through the bulrushes along the shore."
The baby Moses was hidden among the bulrushes of the Nile, making this humble marsh plant one of the most famous plants in Western culture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bulrush
Bulrush is formed simply from 'bull' (here an old intensifying sense meaning 'great or sturdy') combined with 'rush', the common Old English name for marsh plants of the genus Juncus. The compound arose in Middle English, when speakers habitually prefixed 'bull' to names of animals and plants to signal a larger variety. Its cognates lie within the Germanic family of the word 'rush', seen in related terms such as rushlight and various compound plant names like wood-rush and meadow-rush. The word's biblical associations were cemented by early modern English translations of the Scriptures, which used 'bulrush' to render the Hebrew reed words describing the Nile setting.
How bulrush is actually used
Register is neutral and the word appears widely in nature writing, gardening, and religious texts. The main pitfall is regional and botanical inconsistency: American readers picture Typha (cattail), British botanists reserve 'bulrush' for Schoenoplectus, and Bible translations use it for papyrus.
Easily confused with bulrush
In American English 'cattail' names the very plant the British call a bulrush (Typha), so the two words can refer to the same species rather than different ones.
'Reedmace' is the botanically preferred British name for Typha; 'bulrush' is its popular folk name, though strictly the true bulrush is a different sedge (Schoenoplectus).