Mexican rush
Juncus mexicanus · Juncaceae
Mexican rush (Juncus mexicanus) is a perennial grass or grass-like plant in the Juncaceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 5 and warmer, down to about -18°F.
At a glance
| Type | graminoid USDA |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | native USDA |
| Mature height | 0.8 ft USDA |
| Light | full-sun USDA |
| Water need | medium USDA |
| Growth rate | moderate USDA |
| Soil pH | 6.2–8.2 USDA |
| Bloom | March–May USDA |
| Flower color | Green USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 5 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | ground-cover Derived |
| Nursery availability | Routinely Available USDA |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It needs full sun. USDA rates it as having moderate water needs. Its drought tolerance is rated low. It tolerates saturated, poorly drained ground well (USDA rates its anaerobic tolerance high). It is recorded on soils from pH 6.2 to 8.2 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 5.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 0.8 ft, making it a low, mat-forming plant. It grows at a moderate rate.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of March through May. Flowers are green.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, fine in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. Its active growth period is spring and summer. USDA rates its lifespan as moderate.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 8 to 20 inches of annual precipitation. The low end of that band is genuinely arid, so it has a wide tolerance for dry country. It needs at least 145 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 8 inches. Fertility requirement: medium.
Propagating it
Propagate it from seed, bare root and sprigs. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a slow rate. It spreads vegetatively at a rapid rate.
Resilience and wildlife
Browsing animals find it moderately palatable, so expect deer and rabbits to take an interest. Its fire tolerance is rated high. Its growth form is recorded as rhizomatous.
Role in a guild
Ground cover. In a layered planting this is the lowest layer — it shades soil, holds moisture, and suppresses weeds. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Juncus
- tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus
- jointleaf rush Juncus articulatus
- mountain rush Juncus arcticus
- bog rush Juncus biflorus
Similar role and hardiness
- Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
- Japanese sedge Carex kobomugi
- turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora
- meadow bistort Polygonum bistorta
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol JUME4, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, Bloom, Bloom end, browse palatability, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, Nursery availability, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, seed spread rate, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil, Toxicity, Type, vegetative spread rate, Water need.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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