Softstem bulrush is a perennial emergent plant with a round stem and thick rhizomes. The stems are easily crushed between fingers; hence, the common name “softstem” bulrush. It prefers to grow in marshes, streams, and lakes in stagnant shallow water with a muddy or sandy bottom. It reproduces by rhizomes and seeds and in time develops into colonies. These colonies provide protection against wave action on shorelines. Softstem bulrush provides food and habitat for waterfowl and spawning habitat for fish.