FNPS Plant Database

Juncus effusus

soft rush
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: NULL

Nomenclature

Common Name:

soft rush

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Juncus effusus

Family:

Juncaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

grass

Size:

3 ft tall by 4 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

green

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Often planted in restoration and mitigation wetlands. Makes a good plant to border retention ponds. Rain gardens and bioswales.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Specialty Provider

Propagation:

Division, seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Used for nesting and as a food source. Said to be deer resistant.

Native Habitats:

Moist-wet sites. Disturbed wetlands. Very tolerant of grazing.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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