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Variegated Striped Rush

Variegated Striped Rush

BAUMEA rubiginosa 'Variegata'

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Ships as 4"
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Common Name(s)
Variegated Rush, Golden Sword
Sunlight
Full Sun (6+ hrs) or Partial Sun / Shade (3-6 hrs)
Watering
Keep moist
Max Height
1'–2'
Max Spread
18"-24"
Garden Design Role
Architectural, Aquatic
Bloom Season
Fall
Lifespan
Perennial
Growing Habit
Clumping, Tufted
Bloom Color
Red, Brown
Foliage Color
Green, Lime Green, Variegated
Stem Color
Green, Lime Green
Themes
Fire, Confetti
Genus
Baumea
Family
Cyperaceae
Ship Size
4"

Variegated Striped Rush (Baumea rubiginosa Variegata) is a striking evergreen perennial that brings bold architectural structure and year-round color to the garden. Also known as "Golden Sword," this New Zealand native is prized for its stiff, upright, needle-like foliage. Each deep green blade is elegantly streaked with a brilliant golden-yellow stripe along one edge, creating a luminous vertical accent that stands out in any landscape.

As a versatile member of the Baumea genus (often classified as Machaerina), this sedge-like plant is the ultimate solution for challenging "wet feet" areas. It is famously adaptable, thriving in everything from standard garden soil with regular irrigation to boggy conditions and shallow water up to 3 inches deep. Reaching up to 2 feet in height, its dense basal clumps spread slowly via rhizomes, making it an excellent choice for stabilizing pond edges, filling large patio containers, or adding texture to a modern woodland garden. Its rigid habit remains strongly vertical even in winter, providing much-needed structural interest when other plants have gone dormant.

Why you’ll love it:

  • Year-Round Interest: A true evergreen that maintains its vibrant gold and green variegation through all four seasons.
  • Water Loving & Adaptable: Thrives in boggy soils and pond margins, but also performs beautifully in traditional garden beds.
  • Architectural Form: The stiff, upright "sword-like" blades provide a clean, modern look and excellent vertical contrast.
  • Deer Resistant: Naturally unappealing to deer and most common garden pests, ensuring your foliage stays pristine.
  • Low Maintenance: Slow-spreading and easy to care for; simply thin out older blades occasionally to maintain its bright glow.

These healthy 4" live plants thrive in full sun to partial shade. They typically reach a mature height of 18–24" and a spread of 24", forming tidy, impressive clumps over time.