Juncus inflexus aka Hard Rush

Juncus inflexus, commonly known as the hard rush or blue rush, is a densely tufted, leafless perennial plant. It belongs to the genus Juncus, a group of monocotyledonous flowering plants known as rushes. Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, it has also been introduced in various regions including Sri Lanka, Java, Île Amsterdam and Île Saint-Paul, Victoria in Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and eastern North America. Growing up to 60cm tall, Juncus inflexus features matt, blue-green cylindrical stems and produces small, loose flowerheads with brown flowers from late spring to midsummer. It is a true rush that thrives in marshes, wet meadows, flood plains, river and lake margins, wet hillsides (sandy or peaty), and ditches. In northeastern North America, it has found its way to Ontario, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia. To eliminate Juncus inflexus, the area needs to be thoroughly dug up, ensuring the removal of all rhizomes. This can be a challenging task as it requires meticulous selection and removal of the plant's underground stems. Despite the need for control measures, this plant is also valued for its usefulness in basket weaving.