April 2025 • Nebraskaland 41
Nebraska's Rush
Diversity
Nebraska is home to 16 native
and one non-native rush species. By
comparison, the state has about 200
grass species and 75 sedge species.
While all our rushes inhabit wetlands,
some also grow in upland woodlands
and prairies. A few, like joint-leaf rush
and soft rush, have a limited range
and are rare in Nebraska, while others,
such as Baltic rush and interior rush,
are widespread and common.
Rushes play vital ecological roles
in wetlands. For example, the three
species I photographed at Red Wing
WMA — knotted, toad and Torrey's
rush — colonize sandbars and other
disturbed wetlands, where their
fi brous roots stabilize the soil and
prevent erosion. As their roots and
stems decompose, they contribute
organic matter, enriching the soil and
aiding the establishment of other
plant species.
Eventually, the rush colonies I
photographed at Red Wing will decline
as the sandbars transition to other
plant communities. In the meantime,
they will scatter countless seeds
across the sand. When the next fl ood
arrives, these seeds will be carried
away, hopefully settling on moist
sandbars to begin the eternal cycle
anew.
N
Red Wing Wildlife
Management Area
Only 2.5 miles west of Neligh,
this management area features
320 acres that includes 1.5 miles
of Elkhorn River frontage. You'll
find a beautiful wooded area with
some grassland and marshes.
The northern rush grows on Elkhorn River sandbars
and wetlands in northeastern Nebraska. a) root and
stems, b-d) fl ower heads, e) single fl ower, f) seedpod
surrounded by bracts and g) seedpod.b GETTY IMAGES
Torrey's rush in bloom. The bunched fl ower heads
contain 20 to 60 small individual fl owers.
GERRY STEINAUER, NEBRASKALAND
