Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis
Common tule, Common Tule
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Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis (Common tule) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by large size, cylindrical stems, and panicle-like inflorescence.
Common tule is a native perennial found in California (excluding eastern desert regions) in marshes, shores, fens, and shallow lakes at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering during summer, this plant produces small clustered spikelets 6 to 18 millimeters long with sparse woolly-edged flower bracts. Growing to heights of 1 to 4 meters with a long rhizome, it features thick cylindrical stems 2 to 10 millimeters in diameter with wide air cavities in the upper quarter. Its sparse leaf blades are 3 to 7 millimeters wide, significantly shorter than the plant's sheath, which splits and leaves behind fibrous remnants. The fruit is smooth, two to three millimeters long, and develops with two to three stigmas.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; distinguished by large size, cylindrical stems, and panicle-like inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Marshes, shores, fens, shallow lakes, often emergent
Elevation: < 2500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Mono, San Diego, Butte, Del Norte, Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Modoc, Monterey, Plumas, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sutter, Ventura, Yolo, Sacramento, Inyo, El Dorado, Nevada, Tulare, Contra Costa, Napa, Mendocino, Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Sierra, Madera, Merced, San Francisco, Colusa, San Mateo, Kings, Tuolumne, Orange, Santa Cruz, Yuba, Placer, Tehama, Glenn, Trinity
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Texas
Bloom period
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis blooms Summer.
How to tell it apart
vs Juncus: Schoenoplectus has flowers in spikelets with overlapping scales; Juncus has separate flowers with 6 perianth parts.; vs Typha: Schoenoplectus has small spikelets of tiny flowers; Typha has dense brown cylindrical flower spikes (cattails).; vs Bolboschoenus: Schoenoplectus has smooth flower scales; Bolboschoenus scales are fuzzy-hairy.; vs Carex: Schoenoplectus has bisexual flowers in open spikelets; Carex has separate male/female flowers in enclosed sacs.; vs Scirpus: Schoenoplectus has dull bracts with notched tips; Scirpus bracts are pointed and often reddish-tinged.
Frequently asked questions
Is Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis native to California?
Yes. Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis bloom?
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis blooms Summer.
Where in California does Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis grow?
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Mono, San Diego, Butte, Del Norte, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 2500 m.
What plant family does Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis belong to?
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Schoenoplectus.
What habitat does Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis grow in?
Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis grows in Common. Marshes, shores, fens, shallow lakes, often emergent.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Schoenoplectus americanus — Olney's three-square bulrush
- Schoenoplectus californicus — Southern bulrush
- Schoenoplectus heterochaetus — Slender bulrush
- Schoenoplectus mucronatus — Rough-seed bulrush
- Schoenoplectus pungens var. longispicatus — Common three-square bulrush
- Schoenoplectus saximontanus — Rocky mountain bulrush
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.