March 05, 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Ornamental grasses are key plants for the garden, providing seasonal beauty with colors and textures only they can provide. They are easy-to-grow, well-adapted to the extremes of the Great Plains climate and offer a wide range of sizes, colors and flowering times. For these same ornamental qualities, many gardeners are discovering the sedges and the multitude of choices this grass-like group of plants brings to the landscape.
The sedges or Carex are native throughout the world and many of the species that are grown in the garden come from moist or wet areas and most of them are evergreen or semi-evergreen. They are a diverse group of plants, found growing both in dry, open woodlands and in the sun-soaked prairies of the Great Plains. Indeed, there are over 42 species of Carex native to Nebraska.
But don't confuse the many garden-worthy types of sedge with the weedy thug, yellow nutsedge. Yellow nutsedge is in the sedge family of plants but is not a Carex, but an introduced weed. Most of the Carex plants for the garden are clump-forming but some also spread slowly as part of a managed turfgrass alternative. Listed below are some of the benefits of using Carex in the landscape.
- They are diverse in habit, size, form, color and flowers, offering a pleasing mix of textures and cultural adaptations.
- Carex are easy to grow and very adaptable, growing in wet or dry soils. They tolerate heavy clay, dry shade and offer an attractive fountain-like mound of fine-textured green very early in spring.
- Sedges provide movement in the garden, dancing in the slightest summer breeze. As they move, the stems and leaves rustle together to add sound to the garden. The simple flower heads and foliage of sedges are highly translucent and are often at their best when back-lit or side-lit by the sun. In autumn, sedge leaves remain evergreen, often with lovely yellow gold tones that are highlighted when backlit by the sun.
- The fluffy flowers and seed heads of sedges undergo a number of changes in color and form from month to month, often enhanced by morning fogs and frosts in the fall.
- The long linear leaves and fine stems of larger sedges provide a soft, fine-textured backdrop and shorter sedges compliment broad-leaf perennials in front of the border.
Prairie Sedge (Carex bicknellii ). This native clump-forming sedge is especially useful in meadow plantings with prairie grasses and wildflowers for early bright green color and weed competition; very durable, adaptable plants.
Fox Sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) An attractive fountain-like habit and showy, light brown seed heads; ideal in water garden containers and along wet swales.
Gray's Sedge (Carex grayi). A clump forming native with attractive light green seed heads shaped like stars; ideal when grown in part-shade, wet soils or water gardens.
Palm Sedge (Carex muskingumensis). This beauty has radiating, deep green leaves with attractive light brown seed heads. Surprisingly drought tolerant in light shade; does great as a marginal plant in pond gardens and streams.
Variegated Sedges. Many exciting yellow and white variegated forms selected from plants native to Japan and China. many different grass-like plants in wide variety of color, form, and size for wet or moderately dry soils; best in dappled shade and combine nicely with hosta; great in container plantings too. A few examples include: 'Ice Dancer' has cream white leaf margins to 12 inches high. 'The Beatles' makes a deep green mop for groundcover, only 6 inches high. 'Evergold' has bright yellow variegation to 12 inches.
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Contacts: Bob Henrickson, (402) 472-2971
Karma Larsen, (402) 472-2971
Dan Moser, (402) 472-3007
