The genus Butomus consists of a single species. The name is derived from the Greek bous , cow and temno , to cut, in reference to the sword-like leaves. Flowering-rush was described by Linnaeus in 1753. Distribution Flowering-rush is native to Eurasia. Since those early discoveries, flowering-rush has spread considerably.
Solid circles represent individual or local occurrences.
Present Status and Potential Threat Flowering-rush is actively expanding its range in North America. In the last 35 years the plant has spread from a limited area around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River to cover, in a sporadic manner, the northern United States and southern Canada. Anderson et al . Control Measures So far as is known there have been no attempts made to control or eradicate flowering-rush in either Canada or the United States. The majority of the respondents to the survey rated flowering-rush as a moderate to limited problem that is spreading.