Species Bailey's Sedge
lime spikelets with brown-lime stems

Bailey's Sedge

Carex baileyi

Bailey's Sedge (Carex baileyi) is an herbaceous perennial native to North America. It forms dense clumps of thick, narrow leaves of green to purple-green in color. In early to mid-summer, the plant displays spikes of small, yellow-green flower spikes that later become brown seedheads. Bailey's Sedge grows in moist to wet soils in full sun or light shade and is tolerant of a variety of soils. It is an easy plant to care for and requires little pruning or maintenance, making it a great choice for low-maintenance landscaping. Its clumping habit provides excellent cover and ground cover for wetlands and other areas with moist soil.

Watering:

Average

Hardiness Zone:

Flowers:

Green/Brown Flowers

Sun:

full sun,part sun/part shade

Soil:

Sand, Loam

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

gold,green

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

watering

Golden Fruit Sedge prefers moist soil conditions, and as such should be watered when the top 2 inches of soil begins to dry. The easiest way to determine when the plant needs to be watered is to stick your finger into the soil. The soil should feel moist but not damp when it is time to water. The amount of water required will vary depending on the weather and the soil type, but a general guideline would be about 1-2 inches per week. It's important to try to keep the soil evenly moist, since this will help the plant to thrive and remain healthy. If the soil is too wet for too long, the roots may rot. It's best to provide a light, consistent watering rather than a large, infrequent one.

sunlight

Golden Fruit Sedge is a warm season grass that thrives in full sun to part shade but can tolerate almost any conditions. It prefers moist, fertile soils but can handle dry sites. Full sun means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day; this should be in the morning, rather than in the afternoon. Part shade means 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. During the hotter months, plants may need some afternoon shade to protect them from scorching temperatures that can cause damage or death.

pruning

Golden Fruit Sedge should be pruned once a year in late winter (January to March). Pruning should include trimming the shoots and removing any dead or damaged stems, as well as any spent flower heads. When pruning, take care not to remove more than 1-third of the plant's foliage. This will help to maintain a healthy balance of foliage and flowers for the following seasons. Additionally, removing seed plumes before they have a chance to disperse can help to prevent unwanted spread of the plant.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

⚠️ Perenual and its members cannot be held liable for any health issues that may arise from the information provided on the website or from using any of the plants found on the site. The information provided is intended to be used as general guidelines only.