Growing Wood Rush: Tips at a Glance
Wood rush is an easy-going ground cover which, like a perennial grass, will provide year-round texture in a garden. Plant it under the shade of large trees (some varieties are hardy to USDA zone 3).
- Type Grassy ornamental
- Lifespan Perennial
- USDA Zones 3-10
- Light Full or part shade
- Water Tolerates clay
- Foliage Reeds
- Design Tip Woodland garden
- Companions Ferns, azaleas
- Peak Season Year-round
Wood Rush: A Field Guide
Drifts of wood rush look like perennial grasses and act like perennial grasses, but species of Luzula actually belong to the rush family (as evidenced by their long, reedy, cylindrical stems).
A particularly useful species is Luzula sylvatica, also known as greater wood rush, which can add evergreen texture as a ground cover for a shady spot. It will happily thrive at the base of a tree, carpeting the ground with low-growing mounds that will smother weeds. Varieties to look for at the plant nursery include L. sylvatica ‘Aurea’ (with foliage that turns golden in autumn) and ‘Marginata’ (with variegated leaves edged in a creamy color).
In a woodland garden, wood rush happily mingles with ferns, Azalea, and Pieris. If you’re looking for another shade-tolerant rush to plant in warmer climates, see our curated guide to tufted Cape Rush.
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