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| ## baltic rush {#baltic-rush .Title-Header}                           |
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| *Juncus balticus* Willd.                                              |
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| Plant Symbol = JUBA                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Idaho Plant Materials Center & the National
Plant Data Center

### 

##### Uses

*Ethnobotanic*: Coiled basketry prevails in southern California, with
the mottled yellowish brown of rush providing a natural colored and
variegated background (Turnbaugh and Turnbaugh 1986). Rush stems are
used in the coiled baskets of southern California and Mexican Indian
basketweavers, such as the Cahuilla, Luiseño, Chumash, Diegueño, Agua
Caliente, Gabrieliño, Juaneño, Death Valley Shoshone, and Fernandeno
(Barrows 1967; Murphey 1959). Chumash baskets, from southern California,
are made with *Juncus* stems for the tan color and roots for the black
color (Timbrook 1997). The foundation material is made of *Juncus
balticus* and the sewing material is made of *Juncus textilis*.

The Cahuilla, Diegeño, Luiseño, and Chumash dye the mature rushes black
by steeping them for several hours in an infusion of either horned
sea-blite (*Suaeda calceoliformis* or bush seepweed (*Suaeda moquinii*).
This dye is very penetrating and the color is durable, but it has a
fetid, disagreeable smell. *Juncus* species are also dyed yellow in an
infusion of indigo bush (*Psorothamnus emoryi*) (Barrows 1967; Merrill
1970).

The early sprouts of Baltic rush were sometimes eaten raw by the
Snuqualmi of Washington (Gunther 1973). *Juncus* shoots were eaten raw,
roasted in ashes, or boiled by Maidu, Luiseño, and others (Strike 1994).
Owens Valley Paiute ate the seeds.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.384027777777778in"
height="2.8958333333333335in"}

*Other Uses*: Wildlife habitat and food, erosion prevention, sediment
retention, basketry, food, tatami mats, and nutrient transformation.
Baltic rush has nitrogen-fixing capabilities. They are useful for
stabilization and revegetation of disturbed areas. These plants can be
invasive.

*Juncus* species are used by a wide range of mammal and avian species
for food and habitat (Hoag and Zierke 1998). Rush seeds are eaten by
waterfowl, songbirds, small mammals, jack rabbits, cottontail, muskrat,
porcupine, quail, and gopher (Martin 1951). Rushes help improve habitat
for amphibians and spawning areas for fish. Muskrats feed on the roots
and rhizomes of soft rush, and various wetland wading birds find shelter
among the stems.

Cattle generally do not graze rushes, because they have low
palatability. Cattle will graze Baltic rush late in the season after
more palatable plants are eaten. Rushes provide the following
conservation uses; erosion control, sediment accretion and
stabilization, nutrient uptake and transformation, wildlife food and
cover, restoration and creation of wetland ecosystems, and wastewater
treatment applications. The rhizomatous nature, nitrogen fixation
capabilities, dense root system, and phenotypic plasticity to flooding
and drought stress provide high soil and slope stabilization
capabilities, particularly in areas with flooded soils or fluctuating
hydrology. Rushes tend to be resistant to grazing pressure and fairly
unpalatable to cattle, so tend to increase in species composition in
stockwater ponds and troughs. The rhizomes form a matrix for many
beneficial bacteria, making this plant an excellent addition for
wastewater treatment.

##### Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status, such as, state noxious status
and wetland indicator values.

##### Description

*General*: Rush Family (Juncaceae). Baltic rush is a perennial,
rhizomatous, wetland plant. Rushes are grasslike, usually tufted herbs
with terete leaves. The leaf sheaths are clustered at the base, 2-15 cm
long, multi-colored from red to light to dark brown, and bladeless. The
lowest bract of the Baltic rush inflorescence is round and 2-20 cm long.
This bract appear to be a continuation of the stem. The inflorescence
forms a loose to compact panicle of 10-50 flowers up to 6 cm long.
Flowers are greenish or brownish, sessile to pedicellate, each subtended
by a pair of hyaline-scarious bracts. Tepals are 3.5-5 mm long. The 6
stamens have anthers 1.5-2.5 mm long. Fruits are brownish red and about
the size of ground pepper (0.6-0.8 mm long). The fruits are found in a
capsule.

##### Distribution

For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Web site. It occurs throughout California to
Alaska, eastern North America, and Eurasia. Baltic rush is the most
widespread and common rush found in the Great Basin and dry
Intermountain regions. It grows in standing water to seasonally dry
places, with an elevation generally below 2200 m.

##### Establishment

*Adaptation*: *Juncus* species can tolerate shade and flooded, anoxic
soil conditions, at least periodically. They can also tolerate mild to
moderate soil salinities and alkaline to calcareous soils. Often these
plants are found on drier or seasonally fluctuating wetland sites (for
example, desert playas) and can tolerate seasonal drought.

*Juncus* species may be planted from bare rootstock or seedlings from
container stalk or directly seeded into the soil. Bare rootstock or
seedlings are preferred revegetation methods where there is moving
water.

*Live Plant Collections*: The following information on Baltic rush is
provided by J. Chris Hoag and Mike Zierke, USDA, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho.

\"Planting plugs (either from the greenhouse or wild transplants) is the
surest way to establish a new stand of this species. Plug spacing of
25-30 cm will fill in within one growing season. Soil should be kept
from saturated conditions up to 8 cm of standing water. Fluctuating the
water level during the establishment period may speed spread. Water
levels can be managed to enhance spread and control weeds.\"

To collect wild plants, no more than 1/4 of the plants in an area should
be collected. If no more than 0.09 m2 (1 ft2) should be removed from a
0.4 m2 (4 ft2) area, the plants will grow back into the hole in one good
growing season. A depth of 15 cm (6 in) is sufficiently deep for digging
plugs. This will leave enough plants and rhizomes to grow back during
the growing season.

Clip leaves and stems to 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches); this allows the
plant to allocate more energy into root production. Transplants should
be planted as soon as possible in moist (not flooded or anoxic) soils.
Plants should be transported and stored in a cool location prior to
planting. Plugs may be split into smaller units, generally no smaller
than 6 x 6 cm (2.4 x 2.4 in), with healthy rhizomes and tops. The
important factor in live plant collections is to be sure to include a
growing bud in either plugs or rhizomes. Weeds in the plugs should be
removed by hand. Soil can either be left on the roots of harvested
material or removed. For ease in transport, soil may be washed gently
from roots. The roots should always remain moist or in water until
planted.

Soil should be kept saturated after planting. Plants can tolerate 2.5 -
8 cm of standing water as long as the level fluctuates over the growing
season. Allow roots to become established before flooding soils if
possible. Ideally, plants should be planted in late fall just after the
first rains (usually late October to November). This enables plant root
systems to become established before heavy flooding and winter dormancy
occurs. Survival is highest when plants are dormant and soils are moist.

Fertilization is very helpful for plant growth and reproduction. Many
more seeds are produced with moderate fertilization.

#### *Seed Collections*

-   For Baltic rush near Aberdeen, Idaho, the flowering period is late
    May to August, occasionally to September. Seed ripens in early
    August. Phenology will differ with plant growing in different areas,
    and for different *Juncus* species.

-   Seed may be collected by hand, using a pair of hand shears, or with
    a gas-powered handheld seed harvester.

-   The tiny, black seeds are easily lost from the capsules when
    collecting by hand. Be careful to keep capsules upright before
    putting in collection bag. Use paper sacks when collecting seeds for
    this species.

-   To clean the seed, run the collection through a hammer mill to break
    up debris and knock the seeds loose. Use a 1/20 inch screen on the
    top and a solid sheet on the bottom of the seed cleaner. Adjust the
    airflow to blow off the chaff. The cleaning process can be speeded
    up by shaking the hammermilled collection to settle seed to the
    bottom of the pan. The top portion of the chaff can then be
    discarded and the seed-rich mixture that is left in the bottom can
    be run through the seed cleaner.

*Seed germination in greenhouse*

-   Seeds need light, moisture and heat for germination. Soaking the
    seeds in water for 1 - 7 days will decrease the time the seed takes
    to sprout.

-   To grow seeds, place on soil surface and press in lightly to assure
    good soil contact. Do not cover the seed. Soil should be kept moist.
    Greenhouse should be kept hot (32-38°C).

-   Seeds begin to germinate in approximately 1 week. Maintain soil
    moisture until plants are to be transplanted. Seedlings cannot
    withstand long periods without water while growing in the
    greenhouse.

-   Plants are ready in 100 - 120 days to come out as plugs. By planting
    seeds in August, plugs are ready to plant in soil by November. These
    plants are very small; growing plants to a larger size will result
    in increased revegetation success.

##### Management

Hydrology is the most important factor in determining wetland type,
revegetation success, and wetland function and value. Changes in water
levels influence species composition, structure, and distribution of
plant communities. Water management is absolutely critical during plant
establishment, and remains crucial through the life of the wetland for
proper community management. *Juncus* species can tolerate periods of
drought and total inundation. It is important to keep transplanted plugs
moist, not flooded, until roots are established. Water levels can then
be managed to enhance or reduce spread as well as control terrestrial
weeds.

Muskrats have evolved with wetland ecosystems and form a valuable
component of healthy functioning wetland communities. Muskrats use
emergent wetland vegetation such as *Juncus* species for hut
construction and for food. Typically, an area of open water is created
around the huts. Muskrat cleared areas increase wetland diversity by
providing opportunities for aquatic vegetation to become established in
the open water and the huts provide a substrate for shrubs and other
plant species. Muskrats opening up the dense stands of emergent
vegetation also create habitat for other species.

*Traditional Resource Management*: According to one Northern Diegueño
basketweaver, most weavers have favorite collecting areas where the
*Juncus* is plentiful, long, tough, deeply colored with red, or simply
nearby. Any *Juncus* stand will have plants that are immature, mature
but still in seed, and those starting to senesce. Plants can be
harvested during any month or season. The stalks are cut above the
rhizomes and roots, leaving plenty of buds to re-grow new shoots. As
with other rhizomatous species, harvest stimulates new growth and
maintains the clone in a juvenile or immature growth phase, where
productivity is highest. Attempts at harvesting during times of heavy
rain or flooding are likely to fail, as deep water and mud make plants
inaccessible.

*Juncus* species tend to be fairly resilient to insect and disease
problems. Aphids may feed on the stems, but rarely cause significant
damage. If an insect or disease problem is encountered in the
greenhouse, treatment options may be limited by cultural constraints if
these plants are to be used by Indian basket weavers. *Juncus* culms are
split with the mouth to process basketry materials; therefore, an
unusually high degree of human exposure and risk occur with plants
designated for ethnobotanic use. Rushes are perennial, rhizomatous
plants. In most cases, they will out-compete other species within the
wetland area of the site, eliminating the need for manual or chemical
control of invasive species.

##### Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

JUBA is available through selected native plant nurseries within its
range. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service
(formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look
in the phone book under "United States Government." The Natural
Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading
"Department of Agriculture." Listed below are some sources where these
plants are known to be available:

USDA, NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho.

Accession Number 9067411, for Land Resource Region (LRR) B East from
Sterling Wildlife Management Area, just north of the town of Aberdeen
Bingham County, Idaho

Accession Number 9057580, for Land Resource Region (LRR) B West from
Roswell Wildlife Management Area, just west of the town of Roswell,
Canyon County, Idaho.

Accession Number 9057632, for Land Resource Region (LRR) D North from
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, northwest of the town of Fallon,
Churchill County, Nevada.

##### 

##### References

Abrams, L. & R.S. Ferris 1960. *Illustrated flora of the Pacific
states*. 4 Vols. Stanford University Press, Palo Alto, California.

Cooke, S.S. 1997. *A field guide to the common wetland plants of western
Washington and northwestern Oregon*. Seattle Audubon Society and
Washington Native Plant Society. 414 pp.

Dahl, T.E. & C.E. Johnson 1991. *Status and trends of wetlands in the
coterminous United States, mid-1970s to mid-1980s*. USDI, FWS,
Washington, D.C. 28 pp.

Gunther, E. 1945 rev. 1973*. Ethnobotany of Western Washington*.
University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, 10(1). University
of Washington Press, Seattle, Washington.

Hickman, J.C. (ed.) 1993. *The Jepson manual: Higher plants of
California*. University of California Press. 1399 pp.

Hoag, J.C. no date. *Wetland plant fact sheet* - *Baltic Rush* (*Juncus
balticus*). Interagency Riparian/Wetland Project. USDA, NRCS. Plant
Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho. 3 pp.

Hoag, J.C. & M. Zierke 1998. *A reference guide for the collection and
use of ten common wetland plants of the Great Basin and Intermountain
West*. Riparian/Wetland Project Information Series No. 13 (February
1998). USDA, NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho. 13 pp.

Hoag, J.C. & M.E. Sellers 1995. *Use of greenhouse propagated wetland
plants versus live transplants to vegetate constructed or created
wetlands*. Riparian/Wetland Project Information Series No. 7 (April
1995). USDA, NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho. 6 pp.

Hurd, E.G., N.L. Shaw, & L.C. Smithman 1992*. Cyperaceae and Juncaceae -
selected low-elevation species*. Proceedings of Symposium of Ecology,
Management, and Restoration of Intermountain Annual Rangelands, Boise,
Idaho. May 18-22, 1992. pp. 380-383.

Kuhnlein, H.V. & N.J. Turner 1991. *Traditional plant foods of Canadian
indigenous peoples.* Nutrition, Botany and Use. Gordon and Breach
Science Publishers. 633 pp.

Martin, A.C., H.S. Zim, & A.L. Nelson. 1951. *American wildlife and
plant: A guide to wildlife food habits*. Dover Publications, Inc., New
York, New York. 500 pp.

Manning, M.E., S.R. Swanson, T. Svejcar, & J. Trent 1989. *Rooting
characteristics of four Intermountain meadow community types*. Journal
of Range Management 42(4): 309-312.

Mason, H.L. 1957. *A flora of the marshes of California*. University of
California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. 878 pp.

Merrill, R.E. 1970*. Plants used in basketry by the California Indians*.
Acoma Books, Ramona, California.

Moser, C.L. 1993. *Native American basketry of Southern California*.
Riverside Museum Press. 155 pp.

Murphy, E.V.A. 1959. *Indian uses of native plants*. Mendocino County
Historical Society. 81 pp.

Strike, S.S. 1994. *Ethnobotany of the California Indians*. Volume 2.
Aboriginal Uses of California\'s Indigenous Plants. Koeltz Scientific
Books. USA/Germany. 210 pp.

Timbrook, J. June 1997. *California Indian basketweavers association
newsletter.*

Tiner, R.W. 1984. *Wetlands of the United States: Current status and
recent trends*. USDI, FWS, National Wetlands Inventory, Washington, D.C.
58 pp.

Turnbaugh, S.P. & W.A. Turnbaugh. 1986. *Indian baskets*. Schiffler
Publishing, Ltd., West Chester, Pennsylvania. 19380. pp. 194-205.

##### Prepared By

*Michelle Stevens*

formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

*Chris Hoag*

Riparian/Wetland Plant Development Project

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plant Material Center,
Aberdeen, Idaho

##### Species Coordinator

*M. Kat Anderson*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

c/o Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Davis,
California

Edited: 05dec00 jsp; 20may03 ahv; 060801 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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