Rice Cutgrass

Rice cutgrass is a cool-season perennial grass native to wetlands, marshes, and riparian zones across much of North America. It forms dense, spreading colonies through rhizomes and produces flat, rough-edged leaves that can easily irritate skin and damage clothing due to their sharp margins. The plant thrives in saturated or shallowly flooded soils and develops loose, branching flower clusters in late summer. Seeds resemble rice and are not easily confused with other native grasses. As a wetland species, rice cutgrass provides important habitat structure for aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife, supports waterfowl and insects, and plays a role in stabilizing soils and improving water quality in riparian systems.