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Weak Rush

Juncus debilis

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in marshy shores, stream and pond margins, along puddles in wet, disturbed clearings, ditches. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

41
Good

Native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Height
Up to about 10 inches
Light
Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Moist to wet
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Annual or perennial
Bloom
May to August

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 13 Arkansas counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Forest edges and thickets

Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields
Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food. 91 animals.

All wildlife of Arkansas

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

4CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Juncus

  • Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
  • Bactra furfuranaRush Bactra
  • Bactra verutanaJavelin Moth
  • Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
2BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Juncus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
5BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Juncus

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
  • Anas acutaNorthern Pintail
  • Coturnicops noveboracensisYellow Rail
  • Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
  • Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Juncaceae
Flower color
Green or brown

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Arkansas rankSNR
Global rankG5
AR statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Sources