Species Spreading Sedge

Spreading Sedge

Carex laxiculmis var. copulata

Also Known As - Weak Stemmed Wood Sedge
The Spreading Sedge is an ornamental perennial plant that is native to marshes, shores, and wet meadows in eastern North America. With its clump-forming nature, it features slender, bright green leaves with a tinge of yellow, and flowers with small brown spikes. Growing to a height of up to 2 feet, Spreading Sedge looks best when planted in groups, cascading downward in a gentle mound. Besides its attractive foliage, this plant likes plenty of water and endures full sun or partial shade. Hardy zones 4-9, this versatile species works well in rock gardens, as a groundcover, and in containers too. For added interest, lovely white and variegated varieties of the Spreading Sedge are available.

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Division,Cutting,Seed Propagation,Rhizome Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Easy

watering

Spreading Sedge should be watered deeply and infrequently. During the summer months, it should be watered every 2 to 3 weeks, allowing the soil to dry out between watering. In the winter, water should be reduced significantly or eliminated altogether since the plant does not need additional water during this period. As a general rule, wait until the soil is dry an inch or 2 below the surface before watering. Be sure to water thoroughly until the soil is saturated.

sunlight

Spreading Sedge (Carex laxiculmis var. copulata) prefers full sun to partial shade. It needs 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day, ideally from morning until mid-afternoon. Too much sun can cause the foliage to yellow or even burn, so it's important to ensure the Sedge isn't too exposed during the hottest part of the day.

pruning

Pruning Spreading Sedge (Carex laxiculmis var. copulata) should be done during the spring and summer months after flowers have bloomed and any dead leaves have been removed. Pruning should not be done too aggressively as it can stress the plant and cause it to become less vigorous. Instead, light pruning should be done to maintain the shape of the plant and to encourage branching. Remove dead stems at their base with a pair of sharp shears. Also remove any thin, spindly stems that are taking up too much energy from the plant. Finally, any longer stems can be cut back to a height of 12 inches or so to give the plant a nice bushy look.