Herb: Hard Rush


Latin name: Juncus inflexus


Synonyms: Juncus glaucus


Family: Juncaceae (Rush Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Flowering:
June to
August

Habitat of Hard Rush:

Damp pastures, especially on heavy basic or neutral soils.

Other uses of the herb:

The stems are used in basket making, thatching, weaving mats etc.

Propagation of Hard Rush:

Seed - surface sow in pots in a cold frame in early spring and keep the compost moist. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer if they have grown sufficiently, otherwise in late spring of the following year. Division in spring. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation of the herb:

Damp pastures, especially on heavy basic or neutral soils.

Medicinal use of Hard Rush:

None known

Known hazards of Juncus inflexus:

The plant is reported to be toxic to mammals. It causes irritation of the stomach and diarrhoea, followed by nervousness and progressive blindness, the animal may die of cerebral haemorrhage, preceded by convulsions.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.