Carried by 47 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
With its upright growth habit and distinctive flowering stems, Common Rush (Juncus patens) is a grass-like evergreen perennial that adds visual interest to the garden. Common Rush is native to wet, marshy areas of California. It is also found in Oregon and Washington.
The tall, wire-like stems are gray-green in color and grow in clumps that can slowly spread over time.
Common Rush has small golden flower clusters that bloom along the stems, rather than at the tips. After flowering, the plant develops bunches of spherical red fruits.
Common Rush is normally found in areas that are moist year-round, but it is a tough plant that can also grow in areas that are seasonally dry. In the garden, it can be planted near water features but it also does well in dry areas with minimal summer irrigation. Common Rush is often used in lawn replacement applications, where its tall, rigid stems complement low-growing groundcover plants.
Grass
1 - 3 ft Tall
3 ft Wide
Fountain
Moderate
Evergreen
None
Red, Brown
Containers, Deer resistant, Water features or wet habitats
Full Sun
Moderate, High
Max 1x / month once established
Easy
Tolerates cold to 15° F
Slow, Standing
Tolerates a variety of soils.
Soil PH: 5.5 - 7.0
For propagating by seed: No treatment.
4*, 5*, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Usually found in moist areas such as stream banks, springs and seeps, but also occurs in areas of seasonal dryness such as ephemeral streams and ponds
Wetland-Riparian
Use with other plants of moist areas, such as Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa), Sagewort (Artemisia douglasiana), Mule Fat (Baccharis salicifolia), Dogwood (Cornus spp.), Sedge (Carex spp.), Currant/Gooseberry (Ribes spp.), wild rose (Rosa spp.), willow (Salix spp.), and wild grape (Vitis spp.).
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 4 likely
Mottled Marble
Bactra furfurana
Javelin Moth
Bactra verutana
Yellow-Collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis
Bornstein, C., Fross, D., O'Brien, B. (2005). California Native Plants for the Garden. Cachuma Press. Juncus Patens, California Gray Rush, Grass-Like,. Www.smgrowers.com, www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=892#:~:text=Juncus%20patens%20. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.