Club Rush

Club Rush (Ficinia nodosa) is the native tussock for ground that swings between bone dry in summer and briefly under water after a storm. It settles at about 800mm tall and 800mm across, a tidy dome of fine dark green stems that holds its shape without an annual chop. Salt, wind, drought and wet feet are all within its range, which is rare in a grassy plant.

Why you'll love it

• Dry tolerant and wet tolerant. Very few clumping plants manage both. It rides out a dry summer on a sandy verge, then copes with a swale that holds water.
• Made for the coast. Salt spray and constant wind do not brown it off, so it holds up where softer grasses tatter.
• A neat 800mm dome. Compact and self supporting, it reads as a designed shape rather than a shaggy clump.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, which matters along path edges and in courtyards.
• Almost no maintenance. No staking, no deadheading, no spraying.

Where it works best

Mass planting and slopes. Plant 60cm apart for a dense mass planting. The clumps knit within a season or two, and the fibrous roots hold soil on a batter or the face of a retaining wall.

Coastal gardens. A genuine front line plant for exposed seaside blocks. Use it in drifts through low native shrubs rather than as single dots.

Borders, edging and pots. A single row at 60cm edges a path cleanly, and it keeps its shape in a container on a windy balcony.

Growing Club Rush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the tightest, greenest clump; light shade opens the habit up. It is frost hardy and suits warm temperate, cool temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. The wet tropics and the arid inland sit outside its range.

Soil. Coastal sand through to heavy clay. It is one of the few plants for genuinely poor drainage, including the base of a rain garden.

Water and feed. Twice a week through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A light native fertiliser in early spring is plenty, because rich feeding makes the clump floppy.

Pruning. None for years. If a clump collects thatch, cut it back to about 100mm in late winter and it reshoots from the base.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in two sizes: tube stock, and 140mm plants sold in packs of ten. Tubes are young, a small fan of stems, and the sensible choice for a large mass planting: quick to establish and far cheaper per square metre. The 140mm plants arrive as filled clumps and look planted within one season.

Sedges travel better than almost anything we send, and a few bent stems are cosmetic. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect roots to move within a month in warm weather and a full clump by the end of the second season, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to design with ornamental grasses and sedges
• Browse the full landscaping grasses range
• Compare other plants for coastal gardens
• See more plants that are safe around pets

Common questions

How far apart should I plant club rush?

Sixty centimetres apart for a dense mass planting. Tighter spacing wastes plants without closing gaps any faster, and wider spacing leaves bare soil showing between clumps for years.

Will it cope with a spot that floods after rain?

Yes. It tolerates wet feet as well as drought, so short periods of standing water do it no harm. That is why it is a standard choice for swales and rain gardens.

Does it need cutting back every year?

No. Unlike many ornamental grasses it holds a tidy shape on its own. Cut a tired clump back to about 100mm in late winter every few years and it reshoots cleanly.

Is it safe if my dog chews it?

It is not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits a path edge or a courtyard the dog uses.