Ficinia

Knobby Club Rush - New Zealand’s best Ficinia Nodosa

Adding NZ-native grass plants to your garden delivers a vast range of benefits:

• They provide a habitat and shelter for native fauna.
• Greater biodiversity is created.
• Children can learn the plants and become more involved with nature.
• These plants will bring you pleasure for many years to come.

We have fantastic knobby club rush plants ready for your space. These amazing plants have been grown from eco-sourced seed and then multiplied in our nursery. Our Ficinia nodosa plants thrive in NZ’s climate. Each plant is packed and transported with extreme care, ensuring it arrives to you in the same condition it was in when it left the nursery. If you are wanting to buy Ficinia nodosa, shop with confidence from the best in the industry.

Ficinia Nodosa Questions

1. What is knobby club rush?

Knobby club rush (Ficinia nodosa) is a rhizomatous perennial sedge native to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is a relatively hardy plant that can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions, including coastal areas, saline soils, and drought. Knobby club rush is typically found growing in damp or wet areas, such as marshes, swamps, and riverbanks.

It is a popular ornamental plant due to its attractive foliage and seedheads. The plant has cylindrical stems that can grow up to 1 m tall. The leaves are reduced to brown or red-brown sheaths. The seedheads are dense and globular, and they turn a golden brown colour in autumn.

2. What is the old name for Ficina nodosa?

The old name for Ficinia nodosa is Isolepis nodosa. In 1802, Robert Brown reclassified the species as Isolepis nodosa, and this name was used for many years. However, in 2005, Ficinia nodosa was reinstated as the correct name for the species. The reason for the name change is due to a change in the taxonomic classification of the genus Isolepis. In 2005, it was discovered that the genus Isolepis was paraphyletic, meaning that it did not contain all of the descendants of a common ancestor. As a result, the genus Isolepis was split up into several smaller genera, including Ficinia.

3. How do you propagate Knobby Club rush?

There are two main options for propagating Knobby Club rush (Ficinia nodosa): division and seeds. Both methods are relatively easy and straightforward, so the best choice depends on your preference and goals.

Division:

• Best done in late winter or early spring when the plant is actively growing.
• Method:
  • Carefully lift the entire Knobby Club rush plant from the soil.
  • Use your hands or a sharp knife to divide the clump into smaller sections, ensuring each section has healthy roots and shoots.
  • Replant the divisions immediately in individual pots or your desired location in the garden, ensuring the crown sits just above the soil surface.
  • Water well and keep the soil moist until the new plants are established.

Seeds:

• Best done in late spring or summer when the seed heads are dry and brown.
• Method:
  • Collect the brown seed heads and gently break them apart to release the seeds.
  • Sow the seeds thinly onto the surface of well-draining seed-raising mix in a pot or tray.
  • Lightly press the seeds into the soil but don't cover them as they need light to germinate.
  • Keep the soil moist but not soggy until germination occurs, usually within 2-3 weeks.
  • Once the seedlings have a few true leaves, they can be pricked out and potted individually or transplanted into their final destination.

4. What is the club rush plant used for?

"Club rush" isn't a specific plant, but rather a common name for various species in the Cyperaceae family, which also includes sedges and papyrus. To effectively answer your question about its uses, I need to know which specific club rush species you're interested in. There are many with different properties and uses.

Some of the most common club rush plants and their uses include:

• Common Club-rush (Scirpus lacustris): Used for weaving baskets, mats, and chairs, also for filtering water and as a food source for wildlife.
• Slender Club-rush (Isolepis cernua): Ornamental plant for ponds and water gardens, also used for erosion control and biofiltration.
• Knobby Club-rush (Ficinia nodosa): Ornamental plant for rockeries and coastal gardens, can be woven into baskets and used for soil stabilization.
• Fiberoptic Rush (Luzula sylvatica): Ornamental plant with delicate white flowers, also used for medicinal purposes in some cultures.

5. Do rushes have rhizomes?

Yes, many species of rushes have rhizomes! Rhizomes are modified underground stems that grow horizontally and help plants spread, store nutrients, and survive harsh conditions.