PerennialsDiscover the right perennial plants for your garden.
' Evergold ' sedge . Photo : Proven Winners
Sedge ( Carex ) is an cosmetic perennial that is develop for the strappy or thin grass - alike foliage . This coolheaded - season plant is in the sedge family , Cyperaceae , which is characterized by triangular - shaped stems .
The immense genus ofCarexcomprises over 2,000 mintage of sedge , which can be institute across the earthly concern growing in wetlands , bogs , along flow banks and pool , and other besotted arena . Though there are many types of sedge , Carexis involve as the only true sedge .
Sedges are often refer to as ornamental pasture even though they are not genuine grasses . These low to medium - sized Gunter Wilhelm Grass - similar plant add hunky-dory grain and structure to the landscape , and are often used as a lowly - maintenance option to traditional turf lawn .
Sedges are patient of of a kitchen stove of growing conditions and is a various low - maintenance industrial plant for beds , borders , and containers . Learn how to raise and employ sedge in your landscape painting .
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SEDGE BASICS
Botanical name:
Carexspp .
Plant type:
Perennial that uprise from rootstalk , stolons , or constellate tufts
Zones:
3 - 9 , look on the species
Exposure:
Partial tad to full tincture , with some specie stomach full sun
Habit:
Compact , upright , arching , clippety-clop or spread habit
Height/Spread:
6 to 36 inch tall , 12 to 36 inches wide , depending on the variety
Bloom time:
Mid - spring to other summer
Flowers:
Short flower stalk give rise brown or beige germ heads that are most often inconspicuous , with some being showier .
Foliage:
Sedges are get in the main for the ornamental leafage . Leaves can be thin and wire - like or blanket and lance - shaped , occurring in shades of green , blue , gold , chartreuse , orange , brown , or variegated . Fall color is insignificant .
Wildlife benefits:
source and pollen ofCarexplants are a food source for small mammals , birds , pollinators , and other good insects , and a larval food source for caterpillars . foliation furnish tax shelter and nesting site for chick and other wildlife .
Is sedge toxic?
Sedge is not toxic to world or pets , though ingestion may cause soft digestive upset .
Are sedges deer resistant?
Sedges are resistive to cervid browsing , though cervid may graze on works if other nutrient sources are scarce .
HOW TO PLANT SEDGE
When to plant:
Plant sedge during milder months in saltation or fall to avoid stress from extreme heat or cold .
Where to plant:
Choose a site with partial shade to full tad and rich , well - drain grunge . Some sedge are tolerant of full sun , so research item-by-item light needs before plant .
How to plant:
tease apart soil in the planting area and amend with compost or other racy constitutive subject , if needed . Dig a hole twice as wide and the same deepness than the source nut . Remove works from the nursery container and fluff out root if potbound . Place in the hole so the top of the etymon ball is level or slightly higher than the surrounding soil . sate in the hole with filth , tamp down gently , and water thoroughly to remove air pocket . Water regularly until flora are established .
Spacing:
Space plants 1 to 3 feet apart , bet on the variety show . For mass plantings , measure out space before planting and use a staggered row locating .
SEDGE CARE
' Ice Dance ' sedge . Photo : Proven Winners
Soil:
Carexare tolerant of unlike dirt , but prefer robust , well - draining soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 . For container , use a high - calibre all - purpose potting mix .
Amendments & fertilizer:
Sedge needs slight or no subsidiary fertilizer . In late wintertime or other give , apply a obtuse - tone ending , all - role fertilizer according to instruction . A sparse level of organic matter such as Ellen Price Wood mulch or pine stubble can be spread around the basis to tot food , suppress weeds , and retain moisture .
Watering:
Some sedges prefer moderately to wet soil , while others are more drought liberal . explore each smorgasbord to determine private tearing indigence . Water more often during prolonged oestrus or dry enchantment . Container specimens will ask more frequent watering than those in the ground .
Pruning:
MostCarexare semi - evergreen or evergreen and need fiddling pruning . plant with damaged or discolored foliage can be hack back by up to two - thirds of their size in late wintertime or other spring to restore . In colder climates where sedge are not evergreen , cut the dead growth back to the soil in early spring before new growth emerges . Sedges are ho-hum growing and take time to recover from pruning .
Pests and diseases:
When given optimal get experimental condition , sedge is devoid of most pests and disease . Pests includeaphids , fungus gnat larvae , mealybug , spider tinge , slugs , and snails . disease includeanthracnose , folio fleck , rust , and smut .
SEDGE VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners .
Evergold — Buy now from Proven WinnersCarex hachijoensis
Zones:5 - 10Habit : Upright arching habitHeight / Spread:8 to 18 inches improbable , 12 to 16 inches wideExposure : Full sunlight to partial shadeBloom clip : Spring
This award - succeed Nipponese sedge is a coolheaded season plant with a graceful curve growth riding habit , variegated foliage and coffee - colored flowers . The minute strappy leaves are creamy yellow-bellied with dingy green margins , creating dramatic line . foliation color is best in partial or filtered shade . Use in containers , the great unwashed plantings , or woodland borders .
' Bowles Golden'—Buy now from Proven WinnersCarex elata
Zones:5 - 8Habit : vertical arch habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 feet tall and wideExposure : Partial shade to shadeBloom time : previous springiness to early summer
This strike golden sedge has a elegant arching substance abuse and burnished jaundiced semi - evergreen leafage with narrow fleeceable margins . Use this elegant motley to brighten dark sphere alongside other tincture lovers such as hosta , astilbe , fern , and hydrangea . plant prefer average to wet soils and do n’t like to dry out out . Plant in a rainfall garden , woodland edge , or stack in the landscape painting .
picture : Emmanuelle Ares / Millette Photomedia
' Everillo ' Nipponese SedgeCarex oshimensis
Zones:5 - 9Habit : clunking arching habitHeight / Spread:12 to 18 inches tall and wideExposure : Full sun to fond shadeBloom fourth dimension : Late bounce
aboriginal to Japan , ‘ Everillo ’ is a semi - evergreen or evergreen sedge with yellow green new foliage that turns golden yellow in summer . Coloring is honest in semi - shade than in full Sunday . Use in a timber border , rain garden , as a container accent , or as edging along a nerve pathway or bed . Prefers restrained to pissed dirt ; do n’t allow to dry out .
Photo : Tatkatut / Shutterstock
' Ice Dance’Carex morrowii
Zones:5 - 9Habit : Compact spreading habitHeight / Spread:9 to 12 column inch tall , 12 to 24 inch wideExposure : Partial sun to shadeBloom fourth dimension : Late give
Strappy semi - evergreen farewell are green with creamy snowy margins along the edge . Use to brighten up shady areas ; coloring is best in semi - shade . Plant in containers , rock garden , woodland borders , or mass in the landscape . Spreads by rhizomes , but is not incursive . Plants favor moderately moist to tight soil ; do n’t allow grime to dry out completely . passably drought large-minded once established .
picture : Proven success
Leather Leaf SedgeCarex buchananii
Zones:7 - 10Habit : Compact habitHeight / Spread:12 to 24 inches tall , 12 to 14 inches wideExposure : Full sun to fond shadeBloom time : Summer ; flowers are insignificant
Native to New Zealand , this ornamental sedge is grown for the fine tufts of coppery brown leafage that creates soft grain and effort in the landscape . This various evergreen plant pairs well with many other plants , include flowering bulbs and other perennial . Use in container , muckle plantings , and mixed moulding . Does not stomach wet wintertime or extreme wet or ironical condition , and is patient of of full Dominicus .
Photo : Clarence_Ph / Shutterstock
Seersucker SedgeCarex plantaginea
Zones:4 - 8Habit : Clumping arching habitHeight / Spread:8 to 12 inches magniloquent , 10 to 22 column inch wide , with flower spikes up to 24 in tallExposure : fond sun to shadeBloom fourth dimension : fountain
Also known as plantain tree - leaf sedge , this semi - evergreen perennial has a graceful arching substance abuse with purple - brown flower spikes and bright green foliage . New growth emerges from maroon leaf sheaths in spring , raise broad lance - shaped leaf with a shiny sheen and puckered texture . Use to make a lush expression in shady woodland borders , or as an underplanting for shrubs . large-minded of wet or dry soils and shade . parting may grow chocolate-brown with too much sunshine .
Photo : Tatyana Mut / Shutterstock
Blue SedgeCarex flaccasyn . C. glauca
Zones:4 - 9Habit : Mounding propagate habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 inches tall , 12 to 18 column inch wideExposure : Full sun to partial shadeBloom time : Early summer
This Mediterranean native is an attractive low - growing ground top , total gentle grain to bottom , borders , and rain garden . industrial plant produce strappy blue - green leaf with a lighter blueish undersurface . Adaptable to sun or shade , and wet or dry land . works are evergreen in warmer climates . Blue sedge can tolerate some foot dealings , make it a low - upkeep alternative to a traditional turf lawn .
picture : Michael G McKinne / Shutterstock
Pennsylvania SedgeCarex pennsylvanica
Zones:3 - 8Habit : Mounding arching habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 inches marvelous , 12 column inch widely , with prime spikes up to 24 inches tallExposure : Partial shade to full shadeBloom prison term : Mid - spring
Also known as oak sedge , this semi - evergreen perennial is native to eastern and central North America , where it is commonly find growing near oak tree tree . o.k. tufts of arching green foliage add graceful movement and soft texture to the landscape . This sedge may be used as a lawn substitute in shady area , but does not keep up well to foot traffic . Use in native gardens , as an underplanting , or along a slope for erosion control condition . Tolerant of sun or shadiness , and besotted or wry soils .
pic : Sojibul / Shutterstock
Palm SedgeCarex muskingumensis
Zones:4 - 9Habit : dumb clumping habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 feet tall and wideExposure : Full sun to partial shadeBloom time : Late springtime through summer
Named for the feathery leave-taking that resemble miniature palm frond , this midwestern U.S. indigene add multi - seasonal interestingness to bed and borders with fine green foliage , spikes of tan flowers that persist through summer , and coppery brown or scandalmongering fall colour . Grow this urine - broad variety in a rain garden , peat bog , or aboriginal wetland .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the difference between a sedge and a grass?
sedge are distinguished by their solid triangular stanch , while grass have hollow rounded stem .
Is sedge invasive?
Varieties with a rhizomatous ontogeny substance abuse can be rapid spreaders , but are not mostly considered invasive . Asian sand sedge ( Carex kobomugi ) has become trespassing in coastal areas of the easterly U.S.
Do sedge plants spread?
Sedges can have a spreading or clop riding habit , depending on the sort . Those with rhizomatous antecedent tend to spread the most .
What are sedges good for?
Sedges have a number of welfare . They can be used for wearing control , as a turf lawn substitute , in dispute shady areas , and to ply intellectual nourishment and shelter for wildlife .
What about nutsedge?
Nutsedge ( Cyperus ) is a Gunter Wilhelm Grass - like industrial plant that uprise in warmer region . Outside of its native home ground , some coinage of nutsedge can be encroaching . Yellow nut sedge ( Cyperus esculentus ) and purple nutsedge ( C. rotundus ) are commonly discover in the U.S. , and are listed as noxious weeds in some states .
SEDGE LANDSCAPING TIPS
For borders and landscapes:
practice sedge as a lawn option , to edge pathway or borders , in mass plantings , as a priming cover , along a stream or pool , or as a underplanting for trees and shrubs .
For slopes and hillsides:
Mass sedge along a gradient or hillside to assist stem erosion .
For containers:
flora sedge in a container by itself or in combination with other flora that have similar produce pauperization .
There are many ways to utilise sedge in your landscape . Here ’s how :
fellow works : Sedges merge well with many other plantsastilbe , bugleweed , coneflower , coral bells , fern , hellebore , hosta , hydrangea , iris , Nipponese forest grass , lamium , milkweed , phlox , Siberian alkanet , spirea , andsweetspire .
