Butomus umbellatus 

'Flowering Rush'

Butomaceae: a rhizomatous, hairless, perennial aquatic plant to 1m. Found pond margins, ditches and canals, but avoiding shade. The flowers are 3cm across, three petaled, and are pink with darker veins, blooming from July-September. The leaves are pointed, untoothed, parallel veined and twisted, up to 1m long. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, and temperate Asia.

USES:

The tuber can be eaten cooked. It should be peeled and the rootlets removed. The root can also be dried and ground into a powder, it can then be used as a thickener in soups, or be added to cereal flours when making bread. It contains more than 50% starch.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Surface sow seeds, these seeds germinate very irregularly over a long period. Lower temperatures of less than +5°C [41°F] are very effective. Seed trays should not be discarded prematurely. Constant moisture must be maintained. Do not leave in direct sunlight. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a tray of water in the cold frame, planting them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Requires a sunny position. A plant of wet habitats, it succeeds in wet soils and in water up to 30cm deep. A very ornamental plant, and the flowers have a scent of bitter almonds.

HARVESTED:

 

APPROX. 100+ SEEDS