Corkscrew rush is an easy-to-grow ornamental form of the common rush ( Juncus effusus ) with interesting, twisted stems. It can grow with 1 to 6 inches of water over the crown and works well in containers of 2 gallons or larger. Corkscrew rush prefers full sun but can tolerate some shade. It requires consistently moist soil, and it grows well in a pot and as a houseplant. Propagation is by division of the rhizomes and self-seeding, which can be difficult to manage. Keeping the plants in pots and sinking potted plants into the ground with the lip above ground can help limit the spread. In zones with warm winters, they can remain evergreen. In cooler climes, the foliage becomes yellow, then brown, and then dies back to the ground. Corkscrew rush has no leaves, but the stems are attractive corkscrews, which are cylindrical, green and smooth. They form a clump 12 to 18 inches high and equally wide. The late summer-blooming flowers are yellowish green to brown in many-flowered cymes with an obovoid capsule following as fruit. This variety is more conducive to being a specimen plant than the straight-stemmed variety and can be a graceful addition to patios or ponds. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. More information on Juncus effusus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.