# Field woodrush (*Luzula campestris*)

Field woodrush is a grassy plant that grows in fields and meadows. It has long, slender leaves and small, star-like flowers that can be greenish or brownish.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Field woodrush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Luzula_campestris_IP0605002.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Leo Michels User:Der Michels, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luzula_campestris_IP0605002.jpg)

## Appearance

The Field woodrush has slender, grass-like leaves with distinctive long white hairs along their margins. It forms dense tufts, topped with small, clustered spikes of greenish-brown flowers that blend subtly into the ground. These subtle colours help it survive unnoticed.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Juncaceae
- **Genus:** Luzula

## Interesting facts

- Early spring is its show time, bravely blooming before many other plants!
- It often grows in dense clumps, forming a carpet in meadows and woods.
- Its seeds have a special fatty cap, like an ant-attracting snack!
- This tough plant can survive fires because its roots are deep underground.

## Special abilities

- **Hairy Hydrator:** Field woodrush has tiny hairs on its leaves that help it capture dew, staying hydrated in dry, open areas.
- **Ant Courier Service:** Field woodrush produces seeds with a fatty cap, which attracts ants to carry and disperse its seeds.
- **Fire Survivor:** Field woodrush has deep rhizomes that can survive ground fires, allowing it to regrow afterward.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Early Spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Provides early spring forage for grazing animals.
- **Eaten by:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — A common food source for wild rabbits.
- **Depends on:** European Red Ant (*Myrmica rubra*) — Ants disperse its seeds for a fatty food reward.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Field woodrush?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Field woodrush?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Field woodrush?

0.2-0.4 cm

### When does Field woodrush bloom?

Early Spring

### Is Field woodrush edible?

No

### Is Field woodrush toxic?

None

### What is Field woodrush's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Field woodrush pollinated?

Wind

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Field woodrush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-woodrush)