PlantFiles: Toad Rush
Juncus bufonius

Toad Rush is obviously very wide-spread around the world. It is probably one of the most overlooked plants because of its often diminuitive size and short life-span. It is an ANNUAL that frequents areas that are moist to wet for several months then dry for the rest of the year. These would be vernal pools and streams in the wild or muddy flood plains that dry out later on.

In my San Diego garden it has come up here and there but not invasively. It seems to be most frequent where the seed has lain dormant and dry for most of the year followed by sufficient wet. It is not able to compete with other garden plants in areas where plants receive regular water.

Here in southern California natural areas is adapted to winter wet and summer dry.

A similar, perhaps more garden desireable species is the perennial Juncus tenuis which is ideal between stepping stones and compacted soil as long as it does not dry out completely. It is sometimes mistaken for similar plants that are weedy!