Baltic Rush

Names: Baltic Rush

Scientific names: Juncus arcticus, Juncus balticus

To understand this plant requires a little basic botany regarding graminoids, plants that look kind of like grasses. Most are either grasses, rushes, or sedges. With few exceptions, grasses have round stems with swollen joints, rush stems are round with no joints, and sedges have triangular stems. Hence an often-quoted mantra, “sedges have edges and rushes are round.” As a rule, none of them except a few ornamental grasses have showy flowers. Baltic rush is an exception, though most people don’t notice it enough to take a good look.

Baltic rush is found throughout much of the arctic to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere around the world, growing in quiet shallow water or wet soil. The origin of the names Baltic and arcticus are obvious. Juncus is the classic Greek name for rushes.

The stems are erect and reach 1 to 3 feet tall, and 1/8 inch wide, tapering to a sharp tip. The stems are almost completely bare, with no leaves and only the flowers. The flowers are about 3-4 eights of an inch wide, and are borne in clusters attached to the side of the stem about æ the way up from the base. Each flower has 3 sepals and three petals; all six are identical and vary from green to brown. There are six yellow stamens and a pink pistil. Each of the flower clusters in the photo are less than an inch wide.

Though we may ignore this plant today when we’re out in the mountains, the Indian tribes across the continent have used the plant extensively. Food was provided by seeds, candy came from a sugar formed at the plant top, and stems were fermented for a beverage. Fiber from the stems was used for baskets, mats, rugs, and toys, and lower stems provided yellow decoration in baskets. Fibrous roots were used in making jewelery and ornaments on leather. The plants were used along with water in ceremonies. The stems were also used as a tool to hold clamshell beads while stringing them.

Where to find: Look for the slender, dark-green stems along the edges of streams and ponds.