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Striped rush

Machaerina rubiginosa (mak-er-EE-nah roo-bij-ih-NO-suh)

Family: Cyperaceae Unknown Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

'Variegata' is a cultivar of M. rubiginosa is, or Striped Rush, a water-loving perennial in the sedge family native to tropical Asia, Japan, and New Zealand. The genus name is a reference to the blades from the Greek word 'machaira', which means 'a large knife'. 'Variegata' does best in acidic, moist to wet soil with full sun to partal shade. Plants grown in shady or part-shady areas may experience faded blades that may also become less erect or vertical. Under ideal conditions, the plants will form dense basal clumps and spread into colonies. It is humidity-tolerant and verticillium wilt-resistant 'Varegata' is distinguished by its 1 to 3-foot sword-shaped variegated blades. The leaves or blades are deep green and striped along one edge with yellow. You can easily grow the plant in a 2-gallon pot covered with 1 to 6 inches of water. or plant into the soil around ponds and bogs. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 42 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Water Plant
Life cycle
Perennial
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Moist
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Variegated
Leaf type
Sheath
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
This plant has cylindrical, flat, sword-shaped green leaves with yellow and dark green variegation. Leaves grow upright from the rhizomes.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Panicles, 3 to 13 inches, rounded at the tip, with clusters of 1/4 inch red-brown flowers.
Bloom time
Fall
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Smooth, oblong, brown to yellow-orange, small nut.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Nut
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Pond
Landscape theme
Water Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#full sun tolerant #evergreen #partial shade tolerant #water garden #perennial grass #perennial #acidic soils tolerant #variegated #attractive leaves #pond

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.