PerennialsDiscover the right perennial plants for your garden.
' Evergold ' sedge . Photo : Proven winner
Sedge ( Carex ) is an ornamental perennial that is grow for the strappy or thin grass - corresponding foliage . This coolheaded - season plant is in the sedge kinfolk , Cyperaceae , which is characterise by triangular - form stems .
The vast genus ofCarexcomprises over 2,000 coinage of sedge , which can be found across the world produce in wetlands , bogs , along stream bank building and pond , and other wet areas . Though there are many types of sedges , Carexis regard as the only true sedge .
sedge are often bring up to as ornamental Grass even though they are not true forage . These minuscule to medium - sized grass - alike plant life add fine texture and structure to the landscape painting , and are often used as a low-pitched - maintenance choice to traditional greensward lawns .
sedge are tolerant of a compass of growing conditions and is a versatile humbled - maintenance plant for seam , borders , and containers . Learn how to grow and use sedges in your landscape .
On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Pictures|Frequently expect Questions|Landscaping musical theme
On this page :
SEDGE BASICS
Botanical name:
Carexspp .
Plant type:
Perennial that develop from rhizomes , runner , or clumping tufts
Zones:
3 - 9 , depending on the species
Exposure:
fond tint to full shade , with some coinage tolerate full sun
Habit:
Compact , upright , arching , clumping or spreading habit
Height/Spread:
6 to 36 inches grandiloquent , 12 to 36 inch wide , depend on the smorgasbord
Bloom time:
Mid - leaping to early summertime
Flowers:
Short efflorescence stalk produce brownish or beige seed caput that are most often inconspicuous , with some being showier .
Foliage:
Sedges are grown primarily for the ornamental foliation . leaf can be slight and wire - comparable or wider and gig - shaped , come about in shades of green , blue , gold , pea green , orangish , brown , or variegated . Fall color is insignificant .
Wildlife benefits:
Seeds and pollen ofCarexplants are a food source for small mammals , birds , pollinator , and other good insects , and a larval food beginning for cat . Foliage provides protection and nesting internet site for shuttlecock and other wildlife .
Is sedge toxic?
Sedge is not toxic to man or pets , though uptake may get mild digestive upset .
Are sedges deer resistant?
sedge are tolerant to deer browse , though deer may browse on works if other nutrient sources are scarce .
HOW TO PLANT SEDGE
When to plant:
Plant sedge during milder month in spring or descend to avoid strain from utmost heat or cold-blooded .
Where to plant:
Choose a web site with fond shade to full shade and rich , well - draining soil . Some sedge are tolerant of full sun , so enquiry single light postulate before plant .
How to plant:
relax territory in the planting area and amend with compost or other ample organic issue , if want . Dig a hole doubly as spacious and the same profoundness than the root ball . Remove industrial plant from the greenhouse container and tease out roots if potbound . Place in the kettle of fish so the top of the origin ball is level or slimly higher than the wall dirt . fill up in the hole with stain , tamp down down gently , and water thoroughly to take air sac . Water regularly until flora are lay down .
Spacing:
Space plant 1 to 3 feet apart , look on the potpourri . For aggregated plantings , measure out spacing before planting and use a staggered row arrangement .
SEDGE CARE
' Ice Dance ' sedge . exposure : Proven Winners
Soil:
Carexare tolerant of different soil , but prefers rich , well - draining grease with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 . For container , use a high - timbre all - purpose potting mixture .
Amendments & fertilizer:
Sedge needs little or no supplemental fertilizer . In late winter or former spring , apply a slow - release , all - purpose fertilizer fit in to instructions . A thin layer of organic topic such as wood mulch or pine straw can be spread around the basis to add nutrients , suppress weeds , and retain wet .
Watering:
Some sedges prefer somewhat to pie-eyed grime , while others are more drought large-minded . explore each mixture to regulate individual watering needs . urine more often during extend heat or dry magic spell . Container specimens will call for more frequent watering than those in the priming coat .
Pruning:
MostCarexare semitrailer - evergreen or evergreen plant and take small pruning . works with damaged or discolored foliage can be cut back by up to two - thirds of their size of it in late winter or other spring to rejuvenate . In cold climates where sedges are not evergreen , skip the dead growth back to the ground in former spring before new ontogenesis emerges . sedge are dull produce and take time to recover from pruning .
Pests and diseases:
When given optimal growing conditions , sedge is free of most pests and diseases . pest includeaphids , fungus gnat larvae , mealy bug , wanderer mite , slug , and snail . disease includeanthracnose , folio dapple , rusting , and smut .
SEDGE VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners .
Evergold — Buy now from proved WinnersCarex hachijoensis
Zones:5 - 10Habit : Upright arching habitHeight / Spread:8 to 18 inches improbable , 12 to 16 inches wideExposure : Full Dominicus to fond shadeBloom time : Spring
This accolade - winning Japanese sedge is a cool season plant life with a elegant arching growth habit , variegated foliation and coffee bean - colored flush . The minute strappy leaves are creamy yellow with sorry green margin , creating dramatic dividing line . Foliage color is best in fond or sink in shade . Use in containers , mass planting , or woodland borders .
' Bowles Golden'—Buy now from Proven WinnersCarex elata
Zones:5 - 8Habit : Upright arch habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 foot marvellous and wideExposure : Partial shade to shadeBloom meter : Late spring to early summertime
This strike prosperous sedge has a refined arching habit and bright yellow semi - evergreen foliage with minute green margins . Use this elegant motley to brighten darker areas alongside other tad lovers such as hosta , astilbe , fern , and hydrangea . plant prefer average to stiff soils and do n’t care to dry out . Plant in a rain garden , woodland borderline , or sight in the landscape painting .
Photo : Emmanuelle Ares / Millette Photomedia
' Everillo ' Japanese SedgeCarex oshimensis
Zones:5 - 9Habit : Clumping arching habitHeight / Spread:12 to 18 inch tall and wideExposure : Full sun to fond shadeBloom time : Late spring
aboriginal to Japan , ‘ Everillo ’ is a semi - evergreen or evergreen sedge with chartreuse new leaf that grow golden yellowed in summer . Coloring is well in semi - tad than in full sun . Use in a woodland border , rain garden , as a container accent , or as butt along a nerve pathway or bed . Prefers moderate to sloshed stain ; do n’t permit to dry out out .
pic : Tatkatut / Shutterstock
' Ice Dance’Carex morrowii
Zones:5 - 9Habit : Compact spread out habitHeight / Spread:9 to 12 inches tall , 12 to 24 inches wideExposure : fond sun to shadeBloom time : Late give
Strappy semi - evergreen leaves are green with creamy white-hot gross profit margin along the edge . utilize to lighten up fly-by-night areas ; coloring is sound in semi - shade . Plant in containers , stone gardens , woodland borders , or mass in the landscape . Spreads by rhizomes , but is not incursive . plant favor moderately moist to besotted territory ; do n’t allow soil to dry out completely . pretty drought resistant once lay down .
Photo : Proven winner
Leather Leaf SedgeCarex buchananii
Zones:7 - 10Habit : Compact habitHeight / Spread:12 to 24 inches marvellous , 12 to 14 in wideExposure : Full sun to partial shadeBloom time : Summer ; flower are insignificant
Native to New Zealand , this ornamental sedge is grown for the hunky-dory tufts of coppery browned leaf that create soft texture and movement in the landscape . This versatile evergreen plant pairs well with many other plant life , including flower bulb and other perennial . Use in containers , raft plantings , and mixed borders . Does not permit wet winters or extreme wet or dry experimental condition , and is large-minded of full sun .
Photo : Clarence_Ph / Shutterstock
Seersucker SedgeCarex plantaginea
Zones:4 - 8Habit : clippety-clop curve habitHeight / Spread:8 to 12 inches marvellous , 10 to 22 in wide , with flower spike up to 24 inches tallExposure : fond sunshine to shadeBloom prison term : Spring
Also known as plantain - leaf sedge , this semi - evergreen perennial has a elegant arching riding habit with regal - brown flower spikes and promising dark-green foliage . Modern development emerges from maroon leaf sheaths in spring , produce unspecific shaft - shaped folio with a shiny luster and puckered texture . Use to create a lush face in fishy woodland borders , or as an underplanting for shrub . Tolerant of wet or dry soils and shade . Leaves may turn brown with too much sunlight .
picture : Tatyana Mut / Shutterstock
Blue SedgeCarex flaccasyn . C. glauca
Zones:4 - 9Habit : Mounding spreading habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 inch grandiloquent , 12 to 18 column inch wideExposure : Full sun to partial shadeBloom fourth dimension : Early summertime
This Mediterranean native is an attractive low - growing ground cover , add together soft texture to beds , border , and rain gardens . Plants produce strappy blue - immature foliage with a lighter blue underside . Adaptable to sun or shade , and plastered or dry territory . Plants are evergreen in warmer climates . aristocratic sedge can tolerate some substructure traffic , make it a low - sustentation alternative to a traditional sward lawn .
Photo : Michael G McKinne / Shutterstock
Pennsylvania SedgeCarex pennsylvanica
Zones:3 - 8Habit : mound arc habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 in marvellous , 12 inches wide , with flower spikes up to 24 column inch tallExposure : Partial shade to full shadeBloom time : Mid - outpouring
Also hump as oak sedge , this semi - evergreen perennial is aboriginal to easterly and key North America , where it is commonly found growing near oak tree trees . okay tufts of arc green leafage add graceful movement and easygoing texture to the landscape painting . This sedge may be used as a lawn substitute in funny area , but does not hold up up well to human foot dealings . Use in native gardens , as an underplanting , or along a slope for erosion control condition . Tolerant of sunshine or shade , and wet or dry soil .
exposure : Sojibul / Shutterstock
Palm SedgeCarex muskingumensis
Zones:4 - 9Habit : Dense clumping habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 foot grandiloquent and wideExposure : Full Sunday to partial shadeBloom time : belated spring through summer
Named for the feathery leaves that resemble miniature palm frond , this midwestern U.S. native add multi - seasonal pastime to beds and borders with okay unripe foliage , spikes of tan flowers that persevere through summertime , and coppery brown or yellow fall color . rise this water - tolerant miscellany in a rainwater garden , peat bog , or native wetland .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between a sedge and a grass?
sedge are distinguished by their solid triangular stems , while Gunter Wilhelm Grass have hollow rounded stems .
Is sedge invasive?
Varieties with a rhizomatous growth habit can be rapid spreader , but are not generally considered invasive . Asiatic sand sedge ( Carex kobomugi ) has become invasive in coastal areas of the eastern U.S.
Do sedge plants spread?
sedge can have a spreading or clumping habit , depending on the diversity . Those with rhizomatous roots tend to spread out the most .
What are sedges good for?
Sedges have a number of benefits . They can be used for erosion dominance , as a turf lawn reserve , in challenging shady expanse , and to provide food for thought and shelter for wildlife .
What about nutsedge?
Nutsedge ( Cyperus ) is a grass - like works that grows in warmer area . Outside of its aboriginal habitat , some species of nutsedge can be invasive . Yellow Cyperus rotundus ( Cyperus esculentus ) and purple nutsedge ( C. rotundus ) are ordinarily get hold in the U.S. , and are listed as noxious sess in some states .
SEDGE LANDSCAPING TIPS
For borders and landscapes:
Use sedge as a lawn choice , to edge pathways or mete , in mass plantings , as a footing masking , along a stream or pond , or as a underplanting for tree and shrubs .
For slopes and hillsides:
Mass sedge along a slope or hillside to aid stem erosion .
For containers:
flora sedge in a container by itself or in combination with other plants that have interchangeable growing needs .
There are many style to utilize sedge in your landscape . Here ’s how :
comrade plants : sedge combine well with many other plantsastilbe , Lycopus virginicus , coneflower , coral bells , fern , hellebore , hosta , hydrangea , iris , Japanese forest grass , genus Lamium , milkweed , phlox , Siberian oxtongue , spirea , andsweetspire .
