Page 50 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2024_WEB

CULTIVATING COMMUNICATION A Wendy Brister

Are you proposing Sedges in your landscapes?

You should be!

hile variegated sedges (like Carex ‘Ice Dance’) Mt. Cuba Center trial are not readily available as finished
have been available in the trade for many plants or even liners. Seed might be your only option, and
Wyears, our native sedges are just starting to this may or may not work with your business model.
become mainstream. Species like Carex pensylvanica and Dry shade – seems like everything was “dry” in 2024.
Carex stricta are frequently requested, but they are not Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge), probably the
the only tools in the toolbox. We have lots of other species most requested sedge in the groundcover category,
that are readily available in the trade and extremely is a workhorse. It generally tolerates drier soil and is a
garden worthy. spreading type of sedge (vs. a clumper). Most years I
can’t complain. I have it interplanted with Phlox divaricata
Recently, Mt. Cuba Center released their Carex report.
and it looks good year-round. But 2024 was not the year
They evaluated 70 different species and cultivars for
for it. Even with supplemental water, it crept into early
“horticultural qualities, vigor and adaptability” (learn
dormancy.
more at https://mtcubacenter.org/trials/carex-for-the-mid-
atlantic-region/). While much information was gleaned On the flip side, Carex radiata (Eastern Star Sedge)
from this report, the point that caught my attention was slipped into dormancy from July through August, but
that Carex sp. are very “adaptable to conditions outside it has returned to its cheerful green glory as I write this
of their typical wild preferences”. In other words, we have in early November. In truth, it started emerging late
just touched the surface with this group of plants. September with a weekly “spritz” of moisture. Carex
radiata is a clump forming type and works well in part
I’m all about practicality – providing you with feedback
shade as a companion to spring bulbs, ferns, and so
from my experiences that you might be able to use in your
much more!
landscape projects. So here we go.
While we didn’t really have much wet to moist shade
One of the main reasons I personally use sedges in the
in 2024, the Carex bromoides was a fighter. I have
landscape is to cover ground. There are many shorter
this located in a depression which tends to hold some
species (12-18”) that make excellent alternatives to
moisture. Carex bromoides didn’t seem to mind the lack
traditional groundcovers like vinca, pachysandra, and ivy.
of water. With no supplemental water, it remained lush
And knowing that we still have a lot to learn about the
and green throughout the summer.
genus Carex, I tend to push them in my own garden to
see what they are truly capable of. I’m also not afraid to The sedges mentioned above all have finer textured,
share my failures! green foliage, but that’s not our only option within this
genus. We have two shade sedges that have broader,
One thing I will note, before we get into the “fun” part (the
blue-green foliage - Carex laxiculmis and Carex
actual plants), is that many of the species that were in the
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50 WINTER 2024 • Free State News