Plant of the Month (December) : Pale Spikerush – Eleocharis macrostachya

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya) in Mother Nature's Backyard 

 

After four years of drought – and spotty summer rain – our plants are blooming at unusual times.   As we’ve already featured many of our December-blooming plants, we’ve chosen a species that often begins growing in December for our Plant of the Month.

The Spikerushes (genus Eleocharis) are a common component of wetlands throughout the world.  These grass-like plants, members of the Sedge family (Cyperaceae), have rudimentary leaves and understated flowers at the tips of upright stalks.   Nearly all are wetland species and some – like our own Pale spikerush – can even begin growing in shallow water.

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya): new growth
 after winter rains.

 

The taxonomy of the Spikerushes presents challenges not uncommon in plants with relatively few relevant characteristics and cosmopolitan (widespread) geographic distributions.    Eleocharis macrostachya grows from Alaska and Northern Canada, as far East as the Great Plains states, and South to Mexico and South America (Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay). 

In California, it’s a common and widespread member of wetland communities from sea level to about 8,000 ft. (2500 m.)  It grows in a variety of wet places including marshes, roadside ditches, and along streambanks, lakeshores and rivers.  It also can be seen in seasonal wetlands, including mountain meadows, vernal pools/marshes and other seasonally flooded areas.

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya) in vernal marsh
 (Madrona Marsh Preserve).  Taller plants in back are Tules
 and Cattails.  Note how the spikerush grows around the
 edges of the marsh.

 

Known by the common names of Pale spikerush, Common spikerush,  Creeping spike rush and Wire grass, Eleocharis macrostachya shares many characteristics with Eleocharis palustris; some specimens have been included in this and several other Eleocharis species in the past.   There is widespread morphologic variability within Eleocharis macrostachya, even in California, so future taxonomic revisions shouldn’t surprise us.

 

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya) in vernal pool:
 Madrona Marsh Preserve, Torrance CA.

 

Pale spikerush is a rush-like perennial that spreads via rhizomes to form dense mats.  In lowland S. California, seeds germinate – and plants begin to grow – with the winter rains. The under-water stems are hollow; stems become pith-filled on land, giving them added stiffness.   The plants can grow either in shallow standing water or in moist soils, making them useful for seasonally moist areas like rain gardens and infiltration swales.  The plants continue to grow until the dry days of summer, when they become dormant and turn a lovely glossy tan.

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya): note stems
 with rudimentary leaves at base.

 

Pale spikerush is 12-18 inches (30-45 cm.) tall.  It can grow as a single stem, as a tuft-like cluster of stems or as a mat-like ‘sod’.  The stems have very rudimentary leaves (thin, red-brown sheaths at the base of the stems) and are smooth and upright (see above).  Stems are pale yellow-green under water, medium green on land.  This is a simple, but pretty wetland perennial.

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya) blooming in June:
 Madrona Marsh Preserve, Torrance CA.

 

The flowers of Eleocharis macrostachya grow in purple-brown spikelets at the ends of the stems.  As seen in the photo above, flowering plants are showy, even though individual flowers are rudimentary.  The spikelets are slender and cylindrical, somewhat like a flame on a candle, and contain many small flowers, each encased in a floral scale.  Since the flowers are wind-pollinated, there’s no need for fancy petals to attract animal pollinators.  Instead, the sexual parts are well-situated to ensure pollination (see below).  The seeds are enclosed in a gold-brown achene (capsule with one seed) that drops from the plant when ripe.

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya): close-up of spikelet.

 

Pale spikerush is a very adaptable plant.  It will grow in just about any soil, including clays and the sandy, alkali soils along our coast.  It tolerates full sun to fairly shady conditions, with flowering more reliable in full sun.  It does need moist soils in winter/spring and can even tolerate seasonal flooding or shallow standing water, particularly if water levels are allowed to fluctuate through the year (becoming shallower or dry in summer/fall). 

Rain garden at Mother Nature's Backyard.  Pale spikerush
(Eleocharis macrostachya) is indicated by arrow.

 

Pale spikerush is most commonly used as a pond/pool plant or in rain gardens, vegetated (infiltration) swales or bog gardens.  We grow it in our rain garden and as a grass substitute under our Elderberry tree at Mother Nature’s Backyard. It does fine with occasional (monthly or twice-monthly) summer water. When grown in mass (like a turf) it becomes a lovely ‘straw’ groundcover in late summer/fall.  In fact, spikerush straw is harvested in some parts of the world.

Alkali heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum)  growing through
a mulch of Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya)

 

Several points should be emphasized regarding Eleocharis macrostachya.  First, it is a wetland plant that spreads via rhizomes.  In our personal experience, it’s not particularly aggressive in a fairly dry garden.  But if you water frequently – and want to limit its spread – then plant it in a container.  The second issue involves plant-plant interactions.  Some sources note that Pale spikerush may inhibit the growth of other plants.   We’ve not noticed this ourselves and suspect it may be most important when dense Eleocharis ‘turf’ is allowed to dry, uncut, and release chemicals into the soil.

Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya) straw in summer.

 

That being said, Eleocharis macrostachya is a wonderful native for seasonally moist areas.  It’s great for rain gardens and ponds, stabilizing the soil on banks and slopes.  It is easy care, requiring only the removal of dead stalks in fall.  It provides food and cover, as well as nesting materials, for birds and smaller animals.  In days of old, the stems were used for weaving and dried stems for stuffing pillows and bedding.  Some Native American tribes used the plant as a medicine to induce vomiting. 

We love Eleocharis macrostachya as a reminder of the seasonal wetlands once common in the South Bay.  Spikerushes tie us to the past, providing a sense of place.  Ironically, our rain gardens and seasonal swales have become our region’s wetlands.  They are places where the plants of old continue to thrive, a remnant of the vibrant ecosystems that were once the heart (and kidneys) of our region.



Mixed groundcover with Pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya), Carex pansa and 
Stachys bullata.

 

 

For a gardening information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/gardening-sheet-eleocharis-macrostachya

For more pictures of this plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/eleocharis-macrostachya-web-show

For plant information sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

 

Plant of the Month (September) : Yerba mansa – Anemopsis californica

Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica) - Mother Nature's Garden of Health

September is traditionally dry in our part of S. California, with gardens favoring the browns, pale golds and rusty oranges.  While these muted hues are lovely, we sometime crave a bit of green this time of year.  An easy way to provide it is to create a ‘wetland in a pot’ (for more see:  http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/05/guilt-free-gardening-grow-wetland-in-pot.html ).

As California gardens become more drought-tolerant, the concept of green garden oases is gaining popularity.  Middle Eastern and Mediterranean gardeners have long understood the stresses of heat and drought. Their gardens contain restful retreats with shade, green plants and water features.  Evergreen plants – and particularly those associated with cool wetlands – are increasingly important during times of drought.   We should learn to use them – albeit sparingly - in our own gardens.

 

‘Wetlands in Pots’ allow us to grow local wetland plants on a small scale.  The native plants provide habitat for insects and birds, as well as promote our own physical and emotional well-being.  Plants can range from small grass-like sedges to larger rushes, cattails and unusual wetland perennials.   One of the most charming and unique is our Plant of the Month, Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica).  With a little summer water, the Yerba mansa in our Garden of Health is green and just finishing blooming.   

Yerba mansa is native to much of southwestern United Sates and northwestern Mexico.  In California, it can be found as far north as the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley.  In Southern California, it once grew from the ocean to the lower mountain flanks (to about 5000 ft/2000 m.) in plant communities as varied as the Coastal Salt- and Brackish Marshes to the Yellow Pine Forest.   It formerly inhabited the local brackish wetlands of Redondo Beach, San Pedro/Long Beach, the Ballona and Compton Creeks and the southern Channel Islands. What all Yerba mansa sites have in common is moist ground – at least seasonally.

Yerba mansa belongs to an unusual plant family.  The family Saururaceae (the Lizard-tail family) has a small number of genera (four) and species (seven) that are native to Asia and North America.   Members of this family like moist places and are often important medicinal plants.  Yerba mansa is the only representative native to California.

Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

 

Yerba mansa is an herbaceous perennial ground cover.  While growing only 12-18 inches tall, it can spread to 4-6+ feet in a favorable site.   Vegetative propagation (spreading by runners or underground stems) is an important method of conquering new territory for many wetland plants.  It’s one of the reasons that Salty susan (Jaumea carnosa), Lippia/Fog fruit (Phyla lanceolata) and Yerba mansa make such good ground covers in moist places. They will literally cover the bare ground if conditions are right.   It’s also a reason to grow such plants in containers (if containment is an issue).

Note stout stolons on Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
Garden of Dreams - CSU Dominguez Hills

 

A Yerba mansa plant increases in size via thick stolons (above-ground runners; like a strawberry plant) that produce new plantlets (see above).  The runners appear in summer; they root at nodes, and new plantlets appear soon after.  In our greenhouse at CSU Dominguez Hills, new plantlets are establishing nicely this time of year (see below).   

New plantlet of Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)
Native plant greenhouse - CSU Dominguez Hills

 

If you grow Yerba mansa in a container, select a few runners for reproduction each year.  Just let them root on bare soil – you don’t need to do much other than ensure that stolons remain in contact with the soil.  If sharing Yerba mansa with friends, let the stolons root in new pots.  Once the plantlets are well established, cut the attachment to the parent plant, tidy up the pot and your garden gift is ready to go.

Foliage: Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

 

The leaves of Anemopsis californica are 2-8 inches long (5-20 cm), simple, alternate, medium gray- to blue-green and fleshy (succulent). The largest leaves are in a basal rosette.  The leaves, which are upright but low to the ground, are smooth, somewhat rubbery and cool to the touch.  There are a few soft hairs on the leaf margins and underside of the leaves, at least in younger leaves. 

 

In late summer (or when the ground dries out) the leaves turn the most amazing colors, with blotches of red, purple and black amongst the fading green.  The leaves in the photo above are just beginning to change color. The leaf colors add a unique accent to the fall garden.   In late fall or winter, the plants often become entirely dormant, dying back to their roots.  New leaves appear with the warm weather of spring.

 

Flowers: Yerba mansa

Yerba mansa’s flowers are consistent with their Saururaceae heritage.  In general, this family’s flowers reflect plants of ancient times; that’s part of what makes them so enchanting.  In Anemopsis californica and others, the small modified flowers grow closely packed along a stout conical spike.  The large white ‘petals’ at the base of the spike are not petals at all, but highly customized bracts (bracts are modified leaves found at the base of some flowers).  Smaller white bracts are also seen along the spike, at the base of each tiny flower (see below).  

The stamens (pollen-producing male parts) are clearly visible in the close-up photo.  The anthers are long and curved; the pollen is yellow (you can even see a dusting of pollen on the basal bracts if you look closely). Each flower has three stamens; each stamen is split, forming six ‘anthers’ per flower.    The female parts of each flower are largely hidden.    For more details on the anatomy and development of Yerba mansa flowers see: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2443565?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.   The brown dry seed capsules, interesting in their own right, remain on the plants for several months.  

Close-up of flowers:
Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica)

 

One of the most striking attributes of Yerba mansa is its aroma.  All parts of the plants are somewhat aromatic, but the leaves and particularly the roots are the most pungent.  Like many California plant aromas, this scent is difficult to describe: it’s spicy, somewhat gingery, has over-tones of eucalyptus and camphor, etc.  In short, the scent is almost impossible to describe, but so distinctive that once you know it, you recognize it instantly.  When plants are not in bloom, the aroma is often the first thing you notice when approaching a Yerba mansa plant.

Yerba mansa is quite easy to grow in containers or in the ground.  It likes full sun to part-shade, making it useful in many gardens.  It’s not at all picky about soil pH (range: 5.0 to 9.0) or soil type.  It does prefer moist soils, and will need regular summer water to keep it green in summer.  We generally let our wetland plants slowly dry out beginning in September (just water less frequently) to mimic natural conditions.

Yerba mansa is best planted in parts of the garden that receive regular water (Water Zone 3).  Many gardeners plant them as a ground cover around (even in) shallow ponds, near fountains, and in rain gardens and other naturally moist areas.  They are perfectly suited to container life, and make interesting specimen plants in containers and bog gardens.  Some gardeners plant them as groundcovers under trees that require regular water.  They are also used to improve the soils in reclamation projects (plants remove salts and decrease soil pH).

The secrets to managing Yerba mansa are few: 1) provide damp soils through summer; 2) taper off water in fall; 3) cut back (or even mow) dead plants in late fall or early winter.  Wait until plants have died back before pruning – it won’t harm the plants.  You can leave the removed dead leaves as mulch or not (they decrease the soil pH and add organic material). Traditional practice involved the periodic burning of Yerba santa patches to retain vitality; pruning achieves the same end.   You don’t need to prune every year, although many gardeners do for aesthetics.  But every 2-3 years, they need to be sheared.

Yerba mansa is clearly an unusual California native plant.  So, why consider including it in your garden?   In addition to its interest and beauty, Yerba mansa provides habitat for birds (seeds) and small creatures (Pacific chorus frogs and lizards and salamanders come to mind).  The flowers bloom in summer, when white flowers are a treat.   And, of course, the plants are great for filling in areas around a rain garden.  Plant it with moisture-lovers like Juncus, Sweetscent (Pluchea odorata) and other wetland plants.   The fragrance provides a clean, spicy note to the scented garden and the dried leaves add a special zing to potpourri mixes (see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/11/garden-crafts-making-potpourri-from.html )  But you may also want to grow this plant as a medicinal.

Yerba mansa in garden setting
Garden of Dreams - CSU Dominguez Hills

 

Like many aromatic plants, Anemopsis californica has a long and interesting history as a medicinal plant.  In fact, Yerba mansa is an extremely important medicinal  throughout its range.  The name ‘Yerba mansa’ is a shortened version of the Spanish ‘Yerba del manso’ (‘herb of the peaceful Indians’), referring to the medicinal use of this plant by many native tribes.  Yerba mansa has been used – and shared - as a medicinal plant, by many peoples, right up to the present.

The plant produces a dizzying array of aromatic chemicals, particularly when slightly stressed (e.g., as plants become drought-stressed in late summer).   The exact medicinal properties of many of these are still being discovered.  Leaves are known to produce elemicin, piperitone, methyleugenol, (E)-caryophyllene, 1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene and beta-phellandrene.   Roots produce methyleugenol and many other chemicals including:  thymol, piperitone, isoeugenol, cymene, limonene, alpha-pinene, 1,8-cineole, myrtenol and elemicin.   For more on the plant chemistry of Yerba mansa see reference 1, below.

Yerba mansa is attracting increasing interest from both herbal and Western medical practitioners.  Root extracts have been shown to have significant activity against gram-positive human bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae  and Streptococcus Pyogenes [2].  Extracts also appear to have anti-bacterial activity against a serious current ‘problem pathogen’, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Perhaps the key to fighting this challenging pathogen is among the many chemicals produced by Yerba mansa.  As has happened so often in the past, traditional plant-based medicine suggests compounds ultimately included in the Western medical armamentarium.

Recent research – and a long history of tradition use - supports the antimicrobial, antibacterial, antispasmodic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties of Yerba mansa.  The antimicrobial properties likely explain the widespread use of leaves and roots for a range of complaints related to infectious agents.  An infusion (tea) made from either leaves or roots was traditionally used as a wash for cuts, skin sores, wounds, gum problems and canker sores.  A dried powder made from roots was widely used as a disinfectant powder for skin sores, ulcers and small wounds; and to treat diaper rash and athlete’s foot. 

Tea made from leaves or roots was also drunk as a treatment for colds, sinus problems, coughs and chest congestion as well as stomach upset, stomach ulcers and general malaise (a ‘blood medicine’).  The tea’s efficacy likely was due to the antimicrobial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory chemicals.  As a diuretic, Yerba mansa also relieves the body of uric acid, perhaps explaining its use in the treatment of gout and prevention of kidney stones.

Methyleugenol, produced by both the leaves and roots, is an antispasmodic agent.   This likely explains the use of a tea made from either roots or leaves in treating stomach and menstrual cramps; poultices made from leaves are also said to be an effective treatment for muscle cramps and spasms.

Arthritic joints were traditionally soaked in warm water infused with Yerba mansa leaves or roots. Infusions were also used as washes/baths to reduce swelling.  The anti-inflammatory properties of this plant may explain these uses.  Infusions were also used to ‘cool’ burns and sunburns, so there may be some analgesic components as well. 

Green leaves can be harvested any time.  Roots were traditionally only harvested from more mature plants; the fleshy roots were harvested in the fall, when the chemical content was the highest. The roots were often dried for later use.  For more on the medicinal uses of Yerba mansa, see the references below.

The above information is for educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica): important medicinal plant

 

For a gardening information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/gardening-sheet-anemopsis-californica

For more pictures of this plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/anemopsis-californica-web-show

For plant information sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html

______________

1. Chemotypic Variation of Essential Oils in the Medicinal Plant, Anemopsis californica: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2330197/
2. C. Wendakoon et al.  Evaluation of Selected Medicinal Plants Extracted in Different Ethanol Concentrations for Antibacterial Activity against Human Pathogens - http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=jmap  

3. Timbrook, J. "Virtuous Herbs: Plants in Chumash Medicine".  Journal of Ethnobiology, Winter 1987, 171-180
4. Moore, M.  Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, NM, 1989
5. Kay, M.A. Healing with Plants in the American and Mexican West. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ, 1996
6. Anemopsis californica – Ethnobotany & Medicinal Uses - http://www.herbalencounter.com/2015/08/09/yerba-mansa-anemopsis-californica-ethnobotany-medicinal-uses/
7. WebMD - http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-338-yerba%20mansa.aspx?activeingredientid=338&activeingredientname=yerba%20mansa
   
   
8. http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_anca10.pdf

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

Plant of the Month (October) : Torrey’s rush – Juncus torreyi

Torrey's rush - Juncus torreyi

October is the heart of the dormant season in Mother Nature’s Backyard.  This is a pleasant time of year, but not a lot is blooming.  If you didn’t catch our posting on ‘The Year in a S. California Garden’ (Sept/2014) you might enjoy reading it.  One of our showiest plants right now is, surprisingly, a rush.  Of all the grass-like plants, Torrey’s rush is clearly the diva this time of year.

Torrey’s rush (Juncus torreyi) honors Dr. John Torrey (1796-1873), American botanist and co-author (with Asa Gray) of The Flora of North America.  It grows wild in most of temperate North America, from southern Canada to northern Mexico.  In Los Angeles County, Torrey’s rush can be found in the San Gabriel, Santa Susanna and Liebre mountains; it once also grew along the L.A. River.  Not surprisingly given its wide geographic distribution, the physical (phenotypic) characteristics of Torrey’s rush vary somewhat across N. America.

Torrey’s rush is a good example of a rush.  Most people have heard of rushes.  They grow in/near wetlands in most parts of the world and are often used in basketry and other local crafts.  But many people don’t know exactly what a rush is and how it differs from other grass-like plants. 

Rushes (family Juncaceae; genus Juncus) are grass-like perennials.  Along with grasses and sedges, rushes are monocots (monocotyledons), plants with a single seed leaf.   The other large category of flowering plants, the dicots (dicotyledons) have two seed leaves.

Unlike grasses – which have flat leaves or ‘blades’  - rushes may have only rudimentary leaves.  Their stems are round in cross-section.  In fact, a good way to remember the difference between rushes and sedges is the old saying ‘rushes are round and sedges have edges’.   Sedges, with triangular stems, do indeed have edges.

 

Rushes have rather distinctive flowers, in five whorls of plant parts arranged like spokes of a wheel around the flowering stem.  The flowers are usually white or green-gold to pinkish, small and not as showy as many common garden plants.  That may explain why this group has received less attention than it probably deserves.

In the wild, Juncus torreyi grows in moist areas, including marsh and stream edges, in wet meadows and around lakes/ponds.  Because it tolerates somewhat alkali and salty conditions, it can also be found in brackish tidal marshes, alkali sloughs and other locations with moist, alkali soils.

In colder climates, Torrey’s rush is usually a slowly spreading component of a complex ecosystem that includes many species of rushes and sedges.  In warmer climates – and particularly when competing wetland plants are absent – it spreads easily, creating dense stands if conditions are favorable.  In fact, this is one thing to remember when planting Torrey’s rush.

Torrey's rush (Juncus torreyi) in fall - Mother Nature's Backyard

 

The stems of Juncus torreyi are a pleasant medium green.  In lowland S. California, the plants look best in spring and fall, when days are sunny but soils a bit cooler than in summer.   The stout, un-branched stems are 1-3 ft tall, emerging from an expanding clump.   The stems create a fountain-like cluster that is neat and attractive (see above).

Torrey’s rush reproduces both vegetatively (via underground stems or rhizomes) and by seed in western Los Angeles county.   New plants from rhizomes emerge at distances of six inches or more from the parent plant, often when the ground warms in spring.    You can dig them up when the ground is moist and plantlets are small. 

 

Torrey's rush - flower heads in summer are showy

 

In addition to attractive green foliage, Torrey’s rush has some of the most attractive flower and seed heads of any native rush.  Plants flower in summer – usually June to July or early August in coastal S. California.   The flowers are arranged in spherical clusters, about ½ inch in diameter, which are green-pink in summer.  In fall, the mature seed capsules, which are narrow and pointed, give the cluster a bristly appearance.  Their color, shape and size are unique and showy (see below).

 

Torrey's rush: fall in Mother Nature's Backyard

Torrey’s rush reproduces very well by seed in lowland S. California.  In fact, you may find new little seedlings in moist areas of your garden. The tiny seeds are spread by wind, water and even on the feet of waterfowl.   Fortunately, seedlings are similar in appearance to their parents and easily identified.  We suggest pulling them up when small and easily uprooted.  Larger plants have tenacious roots!

Like most rushes, Torrey’s rush likes full sun and regular to occasional summer water.  In our clay soil, we water this plant every 2-3 weeks in the heat of summer.  Plants are not particular about soil texture and do wonderfully in clay.   They can tolerate slightly alkaline and salty soils.   This is a very easy plant to grow, requiring only minimal effort.   Old, yellowed stems should be removed in early winter and the entire clump can be cut back to 2 inches to rejuvenate it. 

 

Dead and dying leaves should be pruned out in early winter

 

As noted above, Juncus torreyi spreads by both seed and rhizomes.  This is either good or bad depending on your needs.  If you want to limit its spread, we suggest planting it in a large container.  You will be able to enjoy its beauty while limiting its expansion.  We suggest you read our posting on ‘Wetland in a Pot’ for more tips: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/05/guilt-free-gardening-grow-wetland-in-pot.html

Anyone who grows Torrey’s rush needs to watch for seedlings and remove unwanted plants promptly.   They can pop up any place that gets regular water, including in pots.

 

Torrey's rush in rain garden - Mother Nature's Backyard

 

That being said, Torrey’s rush is a lovely addition to the fall garden. It adds a decorative vertical element to the garden design.  Its fresh green stems and showy flower/seed heads are a welcome sight in fall.  We like Torrey’s rush in containers and around the edge of rain gardens and infiltration swales.  It’s a useful background plant in areas that get a little extra water.   The species is often used in wetlands restoration projects, particularly in areas where its roots can stabilize banks.    Birds - particularly Lesser Goldfinches in Mother Nature's Backyard -  occasionally eat the seeds.   

Torrey's rush borrows a little water from the neighbor's lawn
Redondo Beach, California

 

 

For a gardening information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/gardening-sheet-juncus-torreyi

For more pictures of this plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/juncus-torreyi-web-show

For plant information sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html

 

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com