- Botanical name: Luzula nivea
- Common name: Snowy woodrush
- Family: Juncaceae
- Plant Type: Perennial, Evergreen
White
Green
- Key features:
- Flowers
- Low maintenance plant
Although Luzula nivea (snowy woodrush) looks like a grass, it is not a grass. Rather, it’s a spreading, clump-forming evergreen perennial. It has rich, green leaves, which contrast with pure white summer flowers held on tall stems. A member of the rush (Juncaceae) family, it thrives in moist soil.
Luzula nivea is commonly used for ground-cover and edging paths, particularly in shade. However it will tolerate a sunny spot as long as the soil is moist enough. It is a vigorous plant and can be invasive, however it rarely causes problems in gardens as it’s used as a ground cover plant and therefore does its job perfectly.
Grow snowy woodrush in moist but well-drained soil in partial shade to full sun. Lift and divide congested colonies every three years, between from mid spring to midsummer. Tidy up foliage in spring.
Advice on buying Luzula nivea
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- Make sure you have the right growing conditions – Luzula nivea needs moist but well-drained soil and a partially shaded spot.
- You may find Luzula nivea‘ in your local garden centre, however you may find a greater vareity of sizes by shopping online
- Always check plants for signs of disease or damage before planting
Where to buy Luzula nivea
How to grow Luzula nivea
-
Plant size
60cm height
45cm spread
-
Aspect
North facing, south facing, east facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Front
- Sun exposure: Dappled shade, full shade, full sun, partial shade
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Acidic / boggy / chalky / alkaline / clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Divide | ||||||||||||
| Divide |
J
Do not Divide in January |
F
Do not Divide in February |
M
Do not Divide in March |
A
Do Divide in April |
M
Do Divide in May |
J
Do Divide in June |
J
Do not Divide in July |
A
Do not Divide in August |
S
Do not Divide in September |
O
Do not Divide in October |
N
Do not Divide in November |
D
Do not Divide in December |
| Cut back | ||||||||||||
| Cut back |
J
Do not Cut back in January |
F
Do not Cut back in February |
M
Do Cut back in March |
A
Do not Cut back in April |
M
Do not Cut back in May |
J
Do not Cut back in June |
J
Do not Cut back in July |
A
Do not Cut back in August |
S
Do not Cut back in September |
O
Do not Cut back in October |
N
Do not Cut back in November |
D
Do not Cut back in December |
Luzula nivea and wildlife
Luzula nivea has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Luzula nivea poisonous?
Luzula nivea has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
