Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Ice Dance Variegated Sedge: White-Edged Groundcover for Shade
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Ice Dance variegated sedge has wider, strappier leaves than most sedges: glossy, dark green and edged in crisp white, so it reads clearly even from across a shady yard. The leaves arch out from the crown in a rounded clump 12 to 16 inches tall, and the plant slowly spreads by short runners into a low patch.
It is grown for its foliage, which stays good-looking through much of the year. Small cream flower spikes in spring are a footnote.
Ice Dance at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' |
| Foliage | Glossy dark green straps, ¼ to ½ inch wide, bright white margins |
| Flowers | Small creamy white spikes, minor |
| Size | 12 to 16 inches tall, 18 to 24 inches wide, slowly spreading |
| Bloom | Late April into early May |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5 to 9 |
| Light | Part shade to full shade; more sun with steady moisture |
| Deer | Resistant |
The groundcover for the shady half
Lavender is a sun plant with dry roots; Ice Dance wants shade and moisture. So instead of the lavender bed, use it as the living carpet under trees, around the base of shade shrubs or along a shaded path. Its fine, linear leaves echo the narrow lavender foliage in a green-and-white version, which ties the shady side of a property back to the sunny rows.
It also pairs well with broad-leaved shade plants like hostas, where the grassy texture gives contrast. Plot it in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Site: part to full shade in average to moist soil. In sunnier spots, keep the soil steadily moist to avoid leaf scorch.
- Spacing: plants slowly knit together into a mat, so space them a little closer than their mature width for faster cover.
- Spring: trim tired or tattered leaves in early spring before new growth.
- First winter: mulch new plantings. It is semi-evergreen in Michigan and may look worn by late winter.
- Pests: largely trouble-free; slugs may chew leaves in damp shade.
In pots and as an edge
Ice Dance makes a bold filler in shady containers, where its arching leaves spill over the rim. Along a shaded bed, a row of it makes a clean white-edged border that holds its look most of the year.
The 72-cell plug tray
Groundcovers are planted in quantity, so a 72-cell plug tray is a practical way to cover ground under trees. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for larger plantings.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a grass?
It looks grassy, but sedges are a different plant family. Unlike most lawn grasses, it thrives in shade.
Will it spread aggressively?
No. It spreads slowly by short runners into a patch, which is what makes it useful as a groundcover.
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