Juncus inflexus

Juncus inflexus, also known as glaucous rush, hard rush, or gardener's rush, is a perennial for water features. It forms clumps of stiff, glaucous, and striate stems that are evergreen. Of medium size, this rush produces loose, brownish-red spikelets in the heart of summer. Ideal in heavy, moist, marshy soil , it is invaluable at the edge of water bodies where it adds verticality to aquatic scenes.

It is a rhizomatous, stoloniferous perennial plant with persistent stems and semi-evergreen foliage. It has a bristly habit. It belongs to the Juncaceae family and is native to Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Iran, and Central Asia. The plant will reach a height of 50cm (20in) and spreads through its rhizomes over a potentially large area. Gardener's rush presents grey-green, simple, alternate leaves. They are linear with entire margins and parallel veins. Flowering occurs from June to August, with brown spikes.

In nature, these plants grow at the edges of wet ditches in shallow, stagnant water. Gardener's rush should be planted at a depth of 20cm (8in), with its base submerged up to 10cm (4in). It is advisable to prune the foliage to 10cm (4in) in autumn.

It can be used as an evaporative plant at the edges of water bodies and in stagnant waters in marshy gardens. To prevent it from becoming too invasive, it can be planted in containers submerged in basins. This rush is suitable for coastal use. It can be used to stabilise banks. Alternatively, take advantage of its decorative aspect and plant it in aquatic pots on a patio.

This plant was used before candles or torches to provide light. It was dipped in vegetable or animal fat and allowed to harden.