Sparganium eurycarpum var. eurycarpum

Broadfruit bur reed

Family: Typhaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Broadfruit bur reed is a California native perennial found in coastal and central California regions, including the North Coast, northern Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area in marshes, lakes, ponds, and along streams at elevations below 2,400 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces distinctive spherical flower heads with white to greenish flowers up to 3 centimeters in diameter. Growing up to 1.5 meters tall with firm, thick stems that have triangular cross-sections, it forms dense clusters in wet habitats. Its leaves are distinctive, with thick blades that are strongly three-angled, creating a robust and architectural presence in aquatic environments. The fruit is rounded and slightly truncate, measuring 8 to 9 millimeters long and 5 to 7 millimeters wide.

Habitat: Marshes, lakes, ponds, along streams

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: < 2400 m

Bioregions: NCo, NCoRO, n SNH, SnJV, CCo, SnFrB, MP

California counties: San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Lassen, Marin, Merced, Alameda, Sonoma, Plumas, San Mateo, Butte, Kern, Riverside, Santa Clara, Mendocino, Sacramento

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.