What is it? Sedge, Rush, or Grass

It's summer, you're outside near a pond or wetland of sorts, and you notice an interesting looking plant, it may have a spike-y pod, it may have an array of cottony-looking flowers, it may have an interesting collection of seeds... what is it?

More often than not, if it's green, grass-like, and it's growing, it can be broken down into one of three main categories: Rushes, Sedges, and Grasses.

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Sedges

​Sedges have edges, along their stems, if you hold the stem between your index finger and thumb you'll feel the triangular shape with which the sedge grows. These are often accompanied by seedpods which are rough and pointy.

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Rushes

Rushes are round, or rather their long stems are perfectly round and have no leaves coming from said stem. Some instead have a basal rosette of leaves which the stem grows from.

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Grasses

Grasses have skirts that go halfway around, the skirt in this case being the leaf which grows from the stem of the plant. There are many, many, many, types of grasses but we'll keep focusing on the wetlands. Much like the rush, the grass consists of a round stem but can be differentiated by the leaves and notches or joints that form along the stem. I often get the question, what about reeds? Reeds and cat-tails fall into the grasses category.

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Let's put it all together, when you're out exploring and you come across a neat green plant but you aren't sure what it is, there's a nifty saying to help you remember...

Sedges have edges, Rushes are round, Grasses have skirts that go half-ways around!

Now go out and explore!