When it arrives
Your plug tray
Plant 72-cell plugs directly in spring or fall, or pot up into 4-inch pots to grow on. Keep moist and out of hot sun until new growth shows.
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Lavender companion · grow guide
Sedge · Carex oshimensis
Sedges are grassy clumps for part shade and moist soil. Japanese types (C. oshimensis, C. morrowii) are evergreen, the native woodland type (C. laxiculmis) handles dry shade, and Bowles' Golden (C. elata) loves wet soil.
Check my zone & planting dates
Part shadeLight
Steady waterMoist drainage
pH 5.5–7.0Soil
Zones 5a–9bHardiness
12″ tall18″ wide
ResistantDeer · rabbits some resistance
Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Evergold will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 5a–9b
Spring or early fall.
Your year with Evergold
When it arrives
Plant 72-cell plugs directly in spring or fall, or pot up into 4-inch pots to grow on. Keep moist and out of hot sun until new growth shows.
Spring or early fall.
Plant at the same depth as in the plug, with the base of the leaves at soil level.
12–18 inches apart for most; up to 24 inches for Bowles' Golden.
Humus-rich loam · pH 5.5–7.0
Fix-it tip: Add compost to hold moisture. C. elata will grow in boggy soil or pond edges; others need moisture but not standing water.
Part shade (tolerates full shade; morning sun).
Gold-leaved types like Bowles' Golden color best with some sun if kept wet; hot afternoon sun scorches Japanese sedges.
Don’t give up on it
Japanese sedges stay evergreen and may look tattered after winter; new blades push up in spring. C. elata dies back and re-sprouts in mid-spring.
Tidy evergreen blades; cut back C. elata.
Water in dry spells; keep out of hot afternoon sun.
Good time to plant or divide.
Japanese types stay mostly evergreen.
First season: Keep evenly moist through the first summer.
After that: Water in dry spells. C. elata wants constant moisture; native woodland sedge tolerates drier shade once rooted.
Little needed; compost in spring.
Comb out or trim tattered evergreen blades in early spring. Cut deciduous C. elata to a few inches in late winter.
Every 3–4 years in spring when clumps open up in the middle.
Hardiness varies: C. elata and C. laxiculmis zones 5–9; Japanese sedges mostly zones 5–9, often semi-evergreen in Michigan. Mulch young plants the first winter.
Japanese sedges dislike hot, dry sun; keep shaded and moist.
Brown tips on leavesLikely cause: Dry soil or hot sun
What to do: Water deeply and give afternoon shade
Tattered, bleached leaves in springLikely cause: Winter wind and sun
What to do: Trim lightly; fresh growth fills in
Center of clump dies outLikely cause: Age or crowding
What to do: Divide in spring and replant healthy edges
Brown leaf tips and dull color mean too dry; brown, collapsing centers in Japanese sedges can mean soggy winter soil.
Not on the ASPCA toxic plant list.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: somewhat resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
Good in pots · 1 gallon+
Japanese sedges are great in pots and shade containers; keep moist.
Outdoor plant
Best kept outdoors as hardy perennials.
No chill needed
Grown for foliage; flowers are small and incidental. No chill needed.
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 1 gallon potTime to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Give it its own spot
Sedges belong in a shady or moist part of the garden. They need much more water and shade than lavender, so don't mix them in the same bed.
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