Wire Grass Juncus tenuis
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Wire Grass:
- Phonetic Spelling
- JUN-kus TEN-yoo-iss
- Description
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Wire Grass is a perennial. flowering grass or sedge that does well in cold climates and wet heavy clay or loamy soil. It is typically found in thickets and swamps and weedy locations like roadsides, sidewalks and parking strips. The genus name means rush. The species name means slender or thin, referring to the leaves.
Wire Grass grows easily in average, medium to wet, soil in full sun or partial shade. Because the plant thrives in water, plant them along pond margins, in rain or rock gardens or in containers. Clumps of Wire Grass can easily be divided in spring and replanted. Wire Grass is undemanding and low maintenance, self-sowing with soft, touchable foliage. It should be mowed high (3 to 8 inches) to maintain a uniform look.
It has tough but smooth, stems, medium green leaves that turn brown with frost, and tiny flowers clustered at or near the stem tips. Wire Grass can spread quickly with windblown seeds or rhizomes and can become weedy, although these same traits make it useful as a ground cover. Alternatively, it can be grown in a container.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems though some consider this plant weedy. Aphids can be a problem.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Blue Arrows'
Blue green leaves - 'Blue Dart'
- 'Blue Arrows'
- 'Blue Arrows', 'Blue Dart'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Arrows'
Blue green leaves - 'Blue Dart'
- 'Blue Arrows'
- 'Blue Arrows', 'Blue Dart'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Juncus
- Species:
- tenius
- Family:
- Juncaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North America, Alaska to Quebec, south to Texas.
- Distribution:
- Introduced world-wide (Europe, East Asia, Australia)
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The seed capsule of each flower is ovoid with a small point at its apex. Each capsule eventually splits apart into 3 segments to release its tiny dust-like seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Insignificant
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant green flowers, clustered at the stem tips, appear May to September. With the first frost they turn brown. Each stem terminates in a branching inflorescence that has one or more umbel-like clusters of up to 10 flowers. At the base of this inflorescence, there are about 3 slender leafy bracts up to 4 inches long that form a V-shape. The petals and sepals are nearly identical in appearance and lanceolate in shape. Bloom occurs in summer although first year plants may not bloom until fall.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves of each stem are green, basal, with narrow leaf blades 10 inches long; ascending from the stems. The leaf blades are smooth, and flat with margins that roll upward. The sheaths of young leaves are light green and become tan to brown and shredded over time.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Erect stems, light green, slender, glabrous, and unbranched.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Erosion
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy
