Bulrush, Three Square - Schoenoplectus pungens

Schoenoplectus pungens, also known as Three Square Bulrush, or Scirpus americanus, is a perennial aquatic plant native to Michigan and the UP. The crisp edges of this plant give the impression of a square stem, but when you run it through your fingers, you realize it has only three sides.
 
This plant forms colonies by rhizome at a moderate rate, but the clusters are loose and decorative. It prefers full sun, and grows in the shallow water (to 3') or adjacent "wet sandy, marly, gravelly, or peaty shores; marshy borders of ponds, lakes, and streams; beach pools and sandy flats; often in shallow water" (Michigan Flora). Despite a preference for water, it is drought tolerant.
 
Three Square Bulrush is excellent at soil stabilization and erosion control, and provides shelter and food for songbirds, waterfowl, fish, and aquatic insects, including larvae of mosquito-eating dragonflies. Makes a nice accent for ponds and fountains, and can be grown in containers.