Hard Rush SEEDS (JUNCUS inflexus) [Blue Arrows] Ornamental Grass,

AKA Hard Rush, Blue-green Rush, European Meadow Rush
[Blue Arrows]

May be grown at the edge of a pond or water garden, in boggy areas, among wet pebbles or rocks or in several inches of standing water. Good water garden accent. Adds a certain amount of authenticity to transitional waterside areas where it also may be used for erosion control. Also effective in garden areas as long consistent moisture is provided. May be effective in large combination containers.  It also makes a great indoor lifestyle plant.

Grown for its stiff, upright, blue-green foliage, Blue Arrows is well-suited to annual bedding and mixed containers. Heat-tolerant in a wide range of environments. Can be grown as a pond plant, but quite drought-tolerant when grown in the ground.

Although often grown as a wetland plant, Juncus inflexus is quite drought tolerant once established. Blue Arrows Rush thrives in heat and full sun. It fits perfectly beside a pool, pond, or stream where its reflection captures the mood of an aquatic paradise. Blue Arrows’ soft color and beautiful, upright form make it irresistible in container combos and annual beds. In the wild, Juncus inflexus is found in wet soils along streams, ditches, and on wet, sandy and peaty hillsides..

The sowing must be kept warm (about +18 to +22°C) [about 64 to 72°F] and moist for the first 2–4 weeks. After this period the sowing must be kept at a cold temperature (between –4 and +4°C) [between 25 and 39°F] for another 4–6 weeks. Colder temperatures of –5°C [23°F] are only advantageous for most species of the Ranunculus family. It is not so important if the temperature is higher or lower during the cooling period, but the cooling period has to be prolonged because the synthesis of the germination inducer, hormon-like acid, slows down or comes to a standstill.
It is beneficial to cover the sowing with snow during the cooling-period. The temperature below it usually keeps in the optimum range of –4 to 0°C [25 to 32°F]. The sowing is kept moist, and the melting snow helps to destroy the shell, which is advantageous for the germinating seedling. After this cooling-period the sowing may not be immediately exposed to high temperatures. The most effective temperatures are between +5 to +12°C [41 to 54°F], even if germination has started. The best location for this sowing, even in March, April and May, is the open field, the cold frame or a cold greenhouse.