(Zizania aquatica) is an annual emergent grass that grows from seed each year. Flower stalks rise up to 9 feet tall. Wild Rice can grow in waters up to 3 feet deep. Rice establishes best in clear, shallow moving waters that have a mucky substrate. Ecologically, wild rice is prized by an array of wildlife. A variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds relish the large seeds. Muskrats use the robust stems for lodge building and as a food source. Wild rice beds also provide spawning habitat for fish and help stabilize bottom sediment.