Field Wood-rush (Luzula campestris)

This may not seem familiar to you at first sight but actually field wood-rush is extremely common anywhere the turf is short and so it is a common weed in lawns, golf courses and amenity grassland. It is more likely to thrive on acid soils but if the grass is short then there is always a chance the field wood-rush will move in. Where it does get established it can be quite vigorous and in some situations can become quite a problem.

In the wild it is an attractive little plant when seen close up. Despite being a wood-rush it is rarely found in woods but short grass on heathland can the best place to find it. It flowers quite early, from March onwards and is usually over by June.

It is also known as sweep's brush and also Good Friday grass. The reason for the former is quite obvious but I have no idea where the Good Friday grass comes from unless it is connected to its early flowering and a tendency to be visible around Easter time.

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