Path Rush Seeds (Juncus tenuis)

A tenacious, architecturally beautiful, and under-appreciated plant with numerous uses.

Found almost nationwide, path rush takes is named for its resistance to trampling -- surviving in the compacted soil of foot paths.

More than simply that, it is a survivor of the most difficult places – growing in wet and water-logged soils that dry out to the point of drought – living out its life in heavy clay and gravel soils – occurring fearlessly in pavement cracks where it survives heat unbearable to other plants, pollution, and crushing tires. It is a plant for the Blade Runner era, for abandoned industrial zones, for rooftops, and for crumbling vacant shopping malls.

Path rush lives in such places all while offering back myriad good things: soil stabilization, food for various grasshoppers and scores of small little beetles (the foundational food for countless songbirds), as well as its beauty as a tufty little grass-like plant with interesting architecture.

Staying between about 6 to12 inches in height, this handsome clumping plant develops semi-stiff, deep-green stems, and ultimately small round seed capsules.

Tolerant of mowing, and a charming addition to wild lawns, it’s time to rediscover this under-appreciated, structurally unique, and generous little plant.

Grown into plugs, path rush can be transplanted into a grid configuration, providing a visually fascinating matrix of strongly upright stems, which can then be in-filled with contrasting wildflowers. It is also equally useful and full of potential in rock gardens and flooded bioswales. Excellent in green-roofs, container plantings, and in Japanese ‘kusa-mono’ style bonsai, entire mini-meadows can be imagined using this wondrous plant as a foundation.

Packet Size: 1500+ very tiny seeds (0.3 grams)