Plant of the Month – November 2014

KNOBBY CLUB RUSH

(Ficinia nodosa, originally Isolepsis nodosa)

(Photos: E. Cousins; growth habit; knobbly foliage, knobby seed head on leaf)

This is a common sedge around the coastline near Cape Jervis. Look for the gentle weeping habit and the deep green cylindrical foliage. It grows in tufts, or clumps, from stout rhizomes. The clumps can grow to about 1 metre tall, and spread up to about 1 metre at the base. The plant gets its common name from the dense brownish growths on the foliage. These are the plant’s flower- and seed-heads. This plant would look good as a contrast to soft foliage or lighter coloured plants in your garden too. And it is a toughie: it likes sandy soil, and will tolerate full coastal exposure, drought and frost. It might go a little bit yellow in really cold weather… never mind, though, it’ll green up again in spring!