Definition

Noun: 1. A type of grass: A plant often cultivated for its long, white-ribbed leaves and its large, plume-like flower clusters that resemble those of pampas grass. 2. A type of sedge: A specific plant (Scirpus cyperinus) native to eastern North America, characterized by its numerous, densely clustered, woolly-looking spikelets (flower heads).

Usage Examples

• As a cultivated ornamental grass:
  • The garden's border was lined with tall, graceful wool grass.
  • She cut some plumes of wool grass for a dried flower arrangement.
• As a native wetland sedge:
  • The botanist identified wool grass growing at the edge of the marsh.
  • In autumn, the seed heads of wool grass take on a distinctive woolly appearance.

Advanced Usage

• The term "wool grass" is a common name that can refer to plants from different botanical families (true grasses vs. sedges) based on regional usage. Context often clarifies which plant is meant.
• In ecological descriptions, it is often specified as a component of wetland or riparian (riverbank) habitats.

Variants and Related Words

• Botanical Name: (for the North American sedge). Other grasses with a similar appearance may also be called wool grass.
• Common Woolgrass: A frequent alternative name for .

Synonyms

• For the sedge (): woolgrass bulrush, common woolgrass.
• For ornamental grasses with a similar look: pampas grass (a different, but visually similar, plant).

Notes on Meaning

This word has two distinct primary meanings in botany and horticulture: 1. A descriptive name for certain ornamental grasses prized for their fluffy, plume-like inflorescences. 2. The specific common name for a native North American sedge (Scirpus cyperinus), named for the woolly texture of its mature seed clusters.

Noun

1. grass often cultivated for its long white-ribbed leaves and large plumes resembling those of pampas grass
2. sedge of eastern North America having numerous clustered woolly spikelets