Description
Carex – Sedge –
There are over 1500 species of deciduous and evergreen, rhizomatous, clump forming or tufted perennials, in this genus. They occur from temperate and arctic zones, as well as high altitudes in tropical regions, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. Most species occur, in bog, moorland, or damp woodland, or by water. Sedges are grown for their variegated or colorful foliage, although some species have attractive catkin-like spikes. The general grass like leaves are usually sharp edged, linear, 3 ranked, and with leaf bases sheathing the triangular stems, which are solid and without nodes. Sedges are mainly monoecious, occasionally dioecious, and bear panicles of small, grass like flowers in short spikes. There are sedges for every site in the garden.
Grow in Most soils in sun or partial shade. Avoid extreme of wet or dry
In summer, cut out any dead leaves on evergreen species. Divide between mid spring and early summer.
Prone to rusts, smuts, fungal leaf spots, and aphids.
C. testacea – This densely tufted, evergreen perennial from New Zealand grows 5-10′ feet tall and 2-3′ feet wide. It produces fine, arching, pale olive green leaves, orange-brown on the surfaces that receive full light. In mid summer it bears cylindrical, pale to dark brown flower spikes, to 1″ long, on stems 20-24″ long, stems later elongated in fruit, to 5′ feet long.
Zones 8-9
