Baltic Rush

Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus) is a wetlands grass-like rhizomatous. This grass is a common and widely occurring in the western, midwestern, and central America as a wetland perennial. The most common and widespread rush is in the Intermountain and Great Basin areas.

General Description:

Baltic Rush (Juncus balticus) is a wetlands grass-like rhizomatous. This grass is a common and widely occurring in the western, midwestern, and central America as a wetland perennial. The most common and widespread rush is in the Intermountain and Great Basin areas.This grass is considered poor for livestock but good for wetland restoration for soil stabilization and plant diversity. This native plant is best sowed in the Spring or Fall.

Baltic rush (Juncus balticus) is a perennial, rhizomatous, wetland plant. Rushes are grasslike, usually tufted herbs with terete leaves. The leaf sheaths are clustered at the base, 2-15 cm long, multi-colored from red to light to dark brown, and bladeless.

Baltic Rush is very tough and bred to survive in harsh, challenging sites.

Planting Conditions:

Juncus balticus is almost impossible to kill once it establishes. The best type of soil to plant baltic rush is saturated, poorly drained, or seasonally flooded soils. It handles saline and alkaline soils that are any where between clay, loamy, or sandy. It has a wide tolerance of pH 6.0-9.0. Baltic Rush loves constant moisture of shallow standing water. Once it is established it can handle some drought, but if drought is prolonged it will fail.

It needs full sun to do well but can tolerate partial shade Usually occurs in areas below 7,000 ft elevation.

Establishment:

Juncus balticus is slow at first with its growth above the ground. Below it is developing quickly, trying to spread those roots. Most of the energy is used to develop the rhizome expansion. For year two the stems begin to thicken and stand grows a bit thicker, by year three the plant has developed a strong presence and expansion in planted area.

Once seed is planted soils should be kept saturated for at least the first 6-10 weeks. don’t allow the soil to dry out. if the soil drys out before the roots have established the plant won’t do well if it survives. Baltic Rush can tolerate 2.5- 8 centimeters of standing water.

Uses:

Wildlife habitat and food, erosion prevention, sediment retention, basketry, food, tatami mats, and nutrient transformation. It has nitrogen-fixing capabilities. They are useful for stabilization and revegetation of disturbed areas. These plants can be invasive.

Wetland Grasses

Seeding Rate:

5 pounds per acre