Woodrushes

Look out for woodrushes. These are grass-like plants with simple flowers. The leaves are like blades of grass with soft white hairs. Clumps arranged like a bouquet, growing often become the dominant vegetation. The scientific name for woodrush is Luzula and there are a number of species, which grow in different habitats including woodland, heaths and grassland. Field woodrush flowers early from March and is known as Good Friday grass. They are a positive grassland indicator when scoring fields for ACRES. Others species are heath woodrush, great woodrush and hairy woodrush, which flower from a little later – all part of our native Irish biodiversity.