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| ## salt rush {#salt-rush .Title-Header}                               |
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| *Juncus lesueurii* Boland                                             |
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| Plant Symbol = JULE                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

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####### Uses

*Ethnobotanic*: Coiled basketry prevails in Southern California, with
the mottled yellowish brown of *Juncus* rush providing a natural colored
and variegated background (Turnbaugh and Turnbaugh 1986). *Juncus* stems
are used in the coiled baskets of Southern California basket weavers
such as the Cahuilla, Luiseño, Chumash, Diegueño, Agua Caliente,
Gabrieliño, Juaneño, Death Valley Shoshone, and Fernandeno (Barrows
1967; Murphy 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 lesueurii*
or *Juncus balticus*, and the sewing material is made of *Juncus
textilis*.

Rushes are cut off at ground level, or at the length desired. The rush,
in its natural state, furnishes a variety of colors; a deep red near the
base, lightening in color upwards passing through several shades of
light brown, and ending at the top in a brownish

yellow. *Juncus* stems can be bleached in the summer sun for several
months to assure a light tan uniform color.

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 (*Sueda moquinii*).
This dye is very penetrating, and the color is durable, but has a fetid,
disagreeable smell. *Juncus* species are also dyed yellow in an infusion
of indigo bush (*Psorothamnus emoryi*) (Barrows 1967; Merrill 1970).

*Other Uses*: A wide range of mammal and avian species for food and
habitat (Hoag and Zierke 1998) uses Juncus species. Waterfowl, songbirds
and small mammals such as jack rabbits, cottontail, muskrat, porcupine,
and gopher (Martin 1951) eats rush seeds. Rushes help improve habitat
for amphibians and spawning areas for fish. Muskrats feed on the roots
and rhizomes, and various wetland wading birds find shelter among the
stems.

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. The rhizomes form a matrix for
many beneficial bacteria, making this plant an excellent addition for
wastewater treatment. Rushes tend to be resistant to grazing pressure
and fairly unpalatable to cattle, so they tend to increase in species
composition in stockwater ponds and troughs.

####### 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). *Juncus* *lesueurii* is a grasslike,
perennial, rhizomatous wetland plant. Salt rush has stems that are 3-9
dm tall, stout, smooth, erect or aching, with a distinctive twist to the
stems. The stems arise from stout, creeping rhizomes. The terete leaf
sheaths are bladeless, and shining or light brown in color. The
inflorescence appears lateral with open branches, the lowest bract
cylindric, with many flowers. The capsule is oblong-ovoid, light brown,
and three-angled. This species is sometimes confused with *Juncus
balticus*, from which it may be distinguished by its longer and usually
darker-colored segments.

####### Distribution

For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Web site.

####### Establishment

*Adaptation*: Salt rush grows in salt marshes or sand dunes along the
California coast from Ventura County north to British Columbia. *Juncus
lesueurii* can tolerate mild to moderate soil salinity and flooded soil
conditions. Often these plants are found on drier or seasonally
fluctuating wetland sites (for example, dune swales) and can tolerate
periodic drought.

*General*: *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. *Juncus lesueurii* requires moderate summer watering
(irrigation), generally 1 - 4 times per month depending on the
absorption rate and water retention capacity of the soil. Salt rush
plants may need to have their roots in moist or wet soils. These native
plants are especially good for stabilizing or restoring disturbed or
degraded areas for erosion and slope control. Salt rush may become
invasive.

*Live Plant Collections*: J. Chris Hoag and Mike Zierke (USDA, NRCS,
Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho) provided the following
information on *Juncus balticus*. Due to their taxonomic and habitat
similarity, it is likely that *Juncus lesueurii* establishes in a
similar manner. Planting plugs 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. Fluctuating the water level during the establishment
period may speed spread of the rush. Water levels can be managed to
enhance spread and control weeds.

-   Clip leaves and stems to 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches) before
    planting; 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. The roots should
    always remain moist or in water until planted.

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-   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.

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-   Ideally, plants should be planted in late fall just after the first
    rains (usually late October to November). Survival is highest when
    plants are dormant and soils are moist.

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

*Seed Collections*:

-   The flowering period is late May to August, occasionally to
    September. Seed ripens in early August. Phenology will change by
    area, aspect, elevation, and specific site conditions.

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

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-   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.

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-   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
    air flow to blow off the chaff. Shaking the hammer milled collection
    to settle seed to the bottom of the pan can speed up the cleaning
    process. 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.

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-   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).

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-   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.

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-   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 (Hoag et al. 1995). *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 either 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.

*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.

*Traditional Resource Management*: Management of *Juncus lesueurii*
stands includes the following: ownership of prime basket rush sites,
stimulation of new growth through harvesting stalks, periodic burning,
and not harvesting when soils are very mucky and likely to be compacted.
According to one Northern Diegueño basket weaver, most weavers have
favorite collecting areas where the basket rush is plentiful and having
characteristics valued by basket weavers (long, flexible, tough stems,
deep red color, access is available and relatively easy). Any *Juncus*
stand will have plants that are immature, those which are mature but
still in seed, and those which are starting to senesce. The stalks are
cut above the rhizomes and roots, leaving plenty of buds to re-grow new
shoots. As with other rhizomatous species, harvesting stimulates new
growth and maintains the clone in a juvenile or immature growth phase,
where productivity is highest. The only harvesting prohibition might be
during times of heavy rain or flooding, when deep water and mud make
many plants inaccessible.

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

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."

####### References

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. n.d. *Wetland plant fact sheet - Baltic rush (Juncus
balticus*). Interagency Riparian/Wetland Project. USDA, NRCS, Plant
Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho. 83210. 3 pp.

Hoag, J.C. & M. Zierke (February) 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.
USDA, NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho. 13 pp.

Hoag, J.C. & M.E. Sellers (April) 1995. *Use of greenhouse propagated
wetland plants versus live transplants to vegetate constructed or
created wetlands.* Riparian/Wetland Project Information Series No. 7.
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. Pages 380-383.

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.

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

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

####### Prepared By

*Michelle Stevens*

formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

####### Species Coordinator

*M. Kat Anderson*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

c/o Environmental Horticulture 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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