Path Rush
Juncus tenuis
native
Other Names:
Poverty Rush, Slender Rush, Slender Path Rush, Slender Yard Rush, Field Rush, Wiregrass
Like the Common Rush (Juncus effusus), the Path Rush is a native plant that can be invasive. It is a perennial found throughout Virginia and most of North America. The Path Rush is highly tolerant of compacted soil, and it is called the "Path Rush" because it can grow on paths. It grows in both wet and dry soil, in fields, by roadsides, and among crops, often outcompeting other plant species. Its tiny seeds become sticky when wet and adhere to people, animals, and automobile tires, which is one of the ways that the plant spreads. Path Rush is sometimes called "Wiregrass" because it has extremely tough stems. The stems grow to be 4 to 12 inches tall, and its small flowers cluster near the stem tips.
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