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Spreading rush

Juncus patens

Also called California Gray Rush, California Grey Rush

Spreading rush
Photo: Daderot, CC0

Spreading rush (Juncus patens) is a native perennial rush from western North America that forms narrow upright clumps of grey-green stems and spreads slowly by rhizomes. It tolerates both moist soils and surprisingly dry conditions once established.

Family
Juncaceae (Junc family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Keep soil moist while establishing, then water occasionally; it tolerates drought once mature.
Soil
Any moist or well-drained soil, including clay, loam or sand.
Temperature
Hardy to about -10 °C; tolerates cool temperate climates well.
How easy
Easy
Native range
W. U.S.A. to NW. & C. Mexico
Climate
temperate

About

Juncus patens is a species of rush in the family Juncaceae. It is sometimes referred to by the common names spreading rush and California grey rush. It is native to the West Coast of the United States from Washington to California, and into Baja California, Mexico. It grows at seeps, springs, and riparian zones in stream beds and on river and pond banks, in marshes, and in other moist habitats.

How to grow it

Juncus patens is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for use in traditional and wildlife gardens, and in natural landscaping design, and in habitat restoration projects. Its tall narrow form fits into narrow garden beds and planters adjacent to walkway walls, and in container planting. Despite its moist habitat origins, it can be very drought-tolerant when established.

In sustainable gardening and sustainable landscaping, Juncus patens is used in rain gardens and phytoremediation swales and intermittent ponds.

Other Juncus plants

Dwarf Rush · Spiny rush · Arctic rush · Jointleaf rush · Mexican Rush · Baltic Rush · Toad rush · Bulbous rush · Canadian rush · Dudley's rush · Common rush · Swordleaf rush

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Juncus patens by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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