Family: CYPERACEAE
The sword rushes have responded to the wet autumn weather with beautiful heads of flowers and seeds.
This plant is an excellent one for garden use. Though it looks like a water plant, and can tolerate occasional inundation, it prefers to be in dry ground and is even drought hardy. This means it is particularly suitable for garden designs incorporating dry creek beds which might occasionally collect flowing water. It can also be used anywhere in the garden where it gets at least a little shade each day. It can also grow in full shade.
Sword rushes grow into bright green leafy tussocks half a metre high, with their dark brown seeds atop flat, sword- like stems. The seeds are appreciated by birds.
As the stems harden with age, their edges can be quite sharp,
Sword-rushes are occasionally sold in nurseries as landscaping plants, but local growers might like to collect their own seed in the wild, as plants of inland provenance are likely to be better at coping with drought and frost..
This is a good plant for to grow for basket-making.
Dear Trish
ReplyDeleteThis plant has been noted on the road reserve in front of our mutual friends' place on the outskirts of Blackbutt. I am keen to propogate it for use in a community garden project.
Blackbutt Ray
Hi Ray.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear from you.
My experience with propagating other sedges is that they are extremely easy to grow from seed. I haven't tried this one, but have seeds drying in a paper bag waiting for me to get around to putting them in a pot.
It is such a pretty plant, and doesn't seem to get out of hand. A very good idea for your project.
Trish