Threads 75: Rushes and cattails

“Sedges have edges and rushes are round”

A bundle of dried rushes, ready to be used

This little ditty reminds us of the difference between sedges and rushes. As far as I know, sedges have no use in the world of basketry. 

In England, rushes are grown as a crop in special areas. Apparently, they are cut down every three years, not every year.

Rushes have a very long history in England. Back, in the days of yesteryear, the poor people had very wet and muddy floors. Rushes were strewn on the floor to protect them from the wet mud. As time went on, these rushes were woven together to make mats and were used in the grand houses. 

Rush Mat

There is still a small industry in England in East Anglia, where rushes are still grown. They are braided into strips and then stitched together into carpets. They are still being made, and used in historical houses. The rushes are also braided/plaited and then coiled into useful items such as wastepaper baskets, and heavy log baskets.

Bulrushes are not rushes. They are sedges and have 3 sides. They always grow in water and have a little brown floret as a seed cluster head. 

Cattails quite frequently get muddled up with bulrushes. Cattails have many flat leaves, and have a spike with a ‘hotdog’ on top, which is full of little furry seeds. Cattails often grow in wet ditches. Cattails are not sedges or rushes, they belong to the Typhaceae family.

To collect rushes and cattails

Both rushes and cattails are gathered when they are at their best and before they start to die back. In this area, it is usually the middle to end of August. If you are looking for rushes in your area, look along the edges of rivers or lakes. Look for tall round stems in the summer /fall if the tops are going brown, it is too late to gather them. Like cattails, they regrow and reappear every spring.

Rush Seating

Rush Sewing Kit

Choose a fine sunny day to collect them and take a large sheet or tarpaulin to roll them up to carry them home. You must not let them bend and crack, as they will break when you use them. 

As soon as you get home, spread them out in the sunshine to dry, and I usually cover them up at night to avoid the dew. Once dry, they can be stored in a nice, dry place, and will keep for a couple of years or so. Before use, they must be ‘mellowed’ the previous evening. Wrap them in a large towel and soak them with water. 

In hot weather, you cannot keep them wrapped up and wet for more than a day or two as they will start to deteriorate and smell! 

Rush Hat

Woven Rush Mat