Cyperaceae Family
Is it a noxious skunk ? An refined garden summation ? A wanted native plant ? How about all of the above ? Sedges are grass - comparable works that are all this , and more .
Most people actually think of sedges as grass , but they ’re botanically unlike from one another . Maybe you ’ve heard the adage “ Sedges have edges , kick are round , grasses have knees that bend to the ground ? ”
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If so , then you sleep together how alike the plants are and how tough they can be to tell apart , since we necessitate a helpful saying to figure out which is which . But even that onetime conversant adage is n’t always enough to aid you identify these Mary Jane - similar plants with certainty .
Sedges , haste , and grasses all belong to the clade Angiospermae .
sedge are botanically classify in the Cyperaceae menage , though when some people talk about these plants , they signify “ true sedges , ” which belong to to theCarexgenus . This is the largest genus in the family , by far , in terminus of the number of specie it hold .
In this template , we ’ll blab about all of the Cyperaceae syndicate of flora , which includes at least 5,500 species , with a peculiar focus onCarexspecies .
Almost all sedges need lots of moisture . They ’re well-chosen in boggy , blotto soil than anything even remotely dry . Most choose cooler climates . They also thrive in eat up or pitiable - quality stain .
That ’s excellent news if you ’re look for something to fill a thought-provoking spot in your garden . But it ’s bad newsworthiness if you have sedge demand over an area where you do n’t require them to .
Do n’t vex , we ’ll embrace the good , the tough , and the ugly , coming right up . Here ’s what to expect :
What You’ll Learn
Sedges are an splendid solution to so many unmanageable growing challenges .
boggy , shady , and poor soil areas can be difficult to fill , particularly with something that wo n’t demand invariant attending to keep live . So without further ado , allow ’s dig into the wild world of sedge .
What Are Sedges?
Sedges , as we mentioned , are from the family Cyperaceae and are made up of a rhizome ( though some have tuber ) with ok root , multiple leaf blades that emerge from one point , and a chief stem that nurse the flowering shoot or anthesis .
Most sedge stanch have three side and are square , with no joints or lymph gland . Looking at the stem is an easy way to tell sedge aside from grass or rushes . The leaf themselves can motley dramatically , so do n’t rely on those to tell you what you ’re face at .
Some species have acerate leaf - like leaves , others have broad , flat parting , and some are toothed on the edges .
They can be any colour from yellowish to blue , and you ’ll also see shades of red or orange . maturation habit vary , from tightly clustered groups of staunch to sparse and distantly spaced ontogeny along a single rootstock .
The leafage tend to bunch in trey and corkscrew up the solid stem , but it should come as no surprisal by now that there are some plants that flicker from this .
Many sedge are epicene with both manful and female part contained in the inflorescence heading , and they ’re lead - pollinated . This means they run to reproduce pronto in the garden without companion plants to help things along .
Of course , with such a diverse group of plants , not everything is going to fit this verbal description . CarexandKobresiaspecies , for case , have unisex floret , but they are also fart - pollinated .
Speaking of reproduction , the seed headway is made up of fruits called achene that encase a single seed . The achene is covered in a sac - same membrane called a perigynium .
These plants can be annuals but most are perennials .
As we mention , a absolute majority mature in areas with at least some periods of gruelling wet in the soil throughout the year , but there are others that grow in teetotal , rocky orbit or in weather condition somewhere in between the two .
you’re able to find species that grow anywhere fromUSDA Hardiness Zone2 to Zone 10 .
Cultivation and History
These plants grow wild in every part of the world except Antarctica , and from sea - level river banks to high - altitude lakes or windswept steppe .
you could be fairly certain that wherever humans have vex the dirt and made ditch or canals where water can cumulate , there will be some sedge make themselves correct at nursing home .
Of course , humans have also cultivated these plants as ornamental and solid food . We know of sedge being tame in gardens as far back as about 300 BC and ancient Egyptians used the seeds and genus Tuber as intellectual nourishment , medical specialty , and to make paper rush for writing on .
When it come to the home garden , almost all cultivated varieties come from theCarexgenus , though species from some other genus are catching on .
Propagation
Some plants you much have to tap to pass around and others are champing at the bit to go – sometimes too eagerly . sedge fall in the second category .
From Seed
you may collect seeds in the late summer when the perigynia have mature and develop a dry , dark-brown husk . appropriate the cum to dry on a screen or hanging by their stems in a cool , dry area with proficient airwave circulation for several weeks .
Alternatively , you may purchase seeds from nursery or online .
For case , Amazon carriesone - ounce packets of pointed broom sedge ( C. scoparia ) , which is a North American native with an interesting , fluffy ejaculate head .
Broom Sedge
Once you have your source , plant them directly in the land in the crepuscule where they will receive the appropriate amount of Light Within for the mintage .
If you buy your source or stock harvested semen for planting in the spring , you ’ll need to cold stratify them in damp George Sand at about 40 ° F for two months before plant .
seed germinate better in some spark , so do n’t cover them with more than an eighth of an inch of soil . Keep the soil moist . Most coinage will shoot in just a few calendar week .
From Division
Thanks to their spreading outgrowth substance abuse , sedge are just about the easy plants to divide that I ’ve ever worked with .
To do the occupation , travail up a clump of leaf and root on an sunless mean solar day in the spring . The size does n’t count , just choose the amount that you want to relocate . Once you have the plant out of the ground , you ’ll divide up the roots .
So you could see these good , brush or wash away as much of the grease as you could . Then , pull apart cluster of roots with leaves attached . Some variety have toughened antecedent and you ’ll need to apply a tongue to carve up them .
Replant each glob in its new location and trim the leave-taking back by at least one-half . Water well .
From Seedlings
It ’s easy enough to simply purchase a flora at the depot and put it in the ground . Most of the time , you wo n’t demand to do any involved prep . Your self-aggrandizing job is to remove all weed from the planting area .
If your grunge is dramatically unlike from what the mintage prefers – weighed down corpse for a dry , rocky character plant , for instance – believe discover a dissimilar species rather than attempt to make your soil primed .
There are so many options out there that there ’s no compass point in trying to equip a square peg in a round hole .
Spacing bet entirely on the mintage you pick out to grow , but most will need somewhere around a foot of blank around them .
Dig a hole in the land that is about the same size as the pot the flora add up in . hit the plant from its container and softly loosen the ascendant ball .
Place in the hole with the pate at the same level as it was in the Mary Jane and firm the soil around it . body of water well to make up the soil , and add more ground if necessary after settling .
How to Grow
Soil preferences calculate exclusively on the mintage that you ’re growing . Some call for something boggy and others prefer it dry .
Do a little enquiry on type that favour the sort of soil and sun exposure you have in the area where you destine to engraft . Like we read , since there are so many options available , there ’s no point in trying to force something to turn where it wo n’t be glad .
The pH can be anywhere between 5.5 and 7.5 .
you may acquire sedge in a container but you ’ll demand to be extremely selective about the type you take . Those that need lot of moisture will probably struggle in a container , so take care for those that do well in drier soil .
Many sedge can be grown as an option to eatage lawns . Just note that they might go dormant in utmost heating system and they tend to get more easy than green goddess – yay , less mop !
There is no need to fertilise most sedges unless you are growing them as a lawn alternative . Then you ’ll need to apply a nitrogen - heavy plant food once in early spring and again in former summertime .
Down to Earth Bio - Turf
Down to Earth get a lawn fertilizer called Bio - Turf that is absolutely balanced for sedge . catch some at Arbico Organicsin a six - lbf. box .
Lawn sedges should be mown when they reach six inches tall or so . Do n’t cut them short than three inches .
Growing Tips
Maintenance
The leaves will turn browned and go back in the fall . Some varieties will still have a green center , while others become flat back entirely .
you may rationalise back the plant in the spring or fall , depending on your orientation . Some people like to leave the brown parting in place during the winter for some visual pursuit .
When you decide to prune , snap up a fistful of leaves anduse prunersor heavy - tariff scissor hold to cut the sedge back just above any immature growth at the crown , or back to about six in above the primer .
New leaves will come forth in the give to supplant the dead and cut - back stuff and nonsense .
Our guide to pruning ornamental grassescan provide some additional insight .
Depending on which type you plant , you might finally pass more meter doing everyday sustainment to bound your plant ’s growth rather than encouraging it .
Many wild and escaped species are a plague in cultivated spaces , and these industrial plant open viaself - sow seedand belowground rootstock .
To keep yours from becoming a trouble , hand pull any undesirable outgrowth when they expand and spread beyond where you want them .
You ’ll have to be diligent about this , which means you should be after on channelise outside for a unspoilt pulling sitting at least once a month .
Not all sedge spread this aggressively , but observe them in pots orraised bedsis a honest thought if you find that you ca n’t keep up . Landscaping cloth , mulch , and most herbicides are no help in attempt to carry off these tough piffling growers .
Species to Select
There are K upon thousands of unlike coinage and cultivar out there , and progress to a selection can be overwhelming .
Plus , sedge , grasses , and charge are not only visually standardised , but they ’ve been make bewilderingly , as well . Some sedges even have “ grass ” or “ spate ” in their name .
It never hurts to pop over to your local nursery to see what they advocate , as well . They make love your local clime well .
There are also a few classics that show up in garden over and over because they ’re so reliable and soundly - looking . Here are a few of the best specie for home gardens :
Bulrush
I cognize , “ rush ” is in the name , butScirpoides holoschoenus , or the roundhead bulrush , is in reality a sedge . This plant is also know as lodge - rush and you may come in across the botanical synonymHoloschoenus vulgaris .
Species in theSchoenoplectusgenus are also ordinarily known as bulrush .
The bullrush category is where you ’ll find those plant with the big , brown cattail . And think back that one-time adage about sedges having edges ? The one know as bulrushes spoil the norm . They have round stems .
Bulrushes from theTyphagenus , on the other hand , are not sedge .
Club-Rush
You might see these also label as bulrushes ( I know , it ’s confusing ) , and there are some beautiful choice within theScirpusgenus .
Woolgrass ( S. cyperinus ) has self-aggrandizing , downy seed heads packed with dark-brown seeds .
White rush ( S. albescens ) has blanch green and ashen , needle - like leaves and is idealistic for ponds .
Zebra rush ( S. tabernae - montani’Zebrinus ’ ) has attractive dark-green and white-hot band alternating horizontally on each needle - same stem .
Cotton
cotton fiber sedges belong to to theEriophorumgenus .
Another misnomer , cottongrass ( E. angustifolium ) is actually a sedge . It has fluffy , cotton wool - like seminal fluid heading and prosper in wetland .
Deergrass
Also bonk as bulrushes ( seriously , this is a confusingly named chemical group of plant ! ) , deergrasses belong to theTrichophorumgenus . Many of these are native to North America .
Tufted bulrush ( T. cespitosum ) and Clinton ’s bulrush ( T. clintonii ) are often sell at nurseries , peculiarly those that specialize in native plants .
Hook Sedge
Hook sedges ( Uncinia rubra ) have petty dependent ends on the seed , hence the name .
Most civilized character are cerise , such as ‘ Belinda ’s Find , ’ which has bronze - crimson foliage that change by reversal orange - Marxist in the surrender .
‘ Belinda ’s discovery ’
Grab a two - pack of # 1 containersat Nature Hills Nurseryto bring some people of color into your garden .
Nutrush
Neither nuts nor rushes , nutrushes belong to to the genusScleria . Some are considered worthful accession to the garden and wild sphere , and others are see invasive weeds .
S. microcarpa , for illustration , is a trouble in Florida . But whip - grass ( S.triglomerata ) , which is not a grass , is endangered and restoration efforts are afoot in some areas .
Look for plants in this genus at nursery that specialize in aboriginal industrial plant choice .
Nutsedge
Also have it off as nut sedge ( Cyperus rotundus ) , this metal money is aboriginal to parts of Europe , Africa , and Asia . It has spread as an encroaching pot in North and South America .
How you choose to care it depends on where you subsist . In area where it may become invasive , grow it in a container or moot a different mintage .
These plants love wet areas like the boundary of rivers , wetland , and even place with underground piling leaks around foundation . They ’re named for the tubers that they grow , which resemble ball .
Papyrus
While you wo n’t ordinarily find it anywhere but in distinctiveness stationery stores , Egyptian tourist shop , and museum collections , papyrus ( Cyperus Cyperus papyrus ) is exceptionally crucial .
It was one of our first portable authorship surfaces and it is made from a sedge .
Even if you are n’t planning to craft a hand-crafted gyre to memorialise your history , the plant are stunning .
They have umbrella - like spindles at the end of long spikes that are sure to be a conversation piece .
Buy a plant to grow at homefrom Fast Growing Trees .
Spikerush
Spikerush ( Eleocharis palustris ) is n’t a upsurge , as you likely venture . It grows wild in every land except Georgia and Florida .
It prefers wetlands and other ace moist field . And in the late summertime , it produces nut - comparable fruit that wild wetland birds are “ balmy ” for ( sorry ) .
Sawgrass
There are many types of sawgrass ( Cladiumspp . ) that produce natively all across North America and throughout most temperate parts of the planet . They have serrate , sawing machine - like leafage and most do well in incredibly wet , depleted grease .
They can be utilitarian in restoring wetland field . Some are being cultivated as a corn replacement for purpose in cellulose manufacture and as a biofuel .
Water Chestnut
Ready to have your thinker blown ? Water chestnuts ( Eleocharis dulcis ) are botanically classified as sedges .
This piss - loving Asian native is value for its pleasant-tasting tubers . It ’s unmanageable to rise in the home garden unless you have a pond or boggy area .
White-Star Sedge
Also known as starrush whitetop , beaksedge , whitetop sedge , or white - principal sedge , Rhynchospora coloratais a piddle - loving evergreen from North and South America .
It produces beautiful snowy flower - like growths that make this metal money a striking addition to the garden .
require More Options ?
To avail you narrow thing down a little , hold back out our supplemental guide , “ 15 of the Best True Sedge Plant Varieties for the Home Garden . ”
Managing Pests and Disease
One of the marvelous affair about these plants is that they ’re so incredibly tough . Hardly any pest or disease attack them , and those that do do n’t usually cause much damage .
Herbivores
I ’m plump to start with a caution : Sedges are an important source of nutrient and protection for rabbits , nutria , Ondatra zibethica , mouse , waterfowl , and shuttle . They ’re also a vital part of the environs for lizard , serpent , frog , and countless invertebrates .
That ’s either first-class or terrible news , look on your goals .
If you need to add vital resources for wildlife to part of your property , they will be most welcome .
However , if you want to enjoy the video display of your works in a cautiously - run patch of your garden , you ’re probably going to have to make an effort to protect them .
Rabbits , in particular , will belike think you ’ve given them a endearing snack bar . On the other hired man , deer do n’t seem as concerned , so there ’s that .
Readour guide to learn about how to deal with rabbits in the garden .
Insects
If you do a quick cyberspace search for sedge pesterer , you ’re more potential to find event talking aboutsedgeas a “ pestilence ” rather than the insects that attack it .
That ’s because very few insects bother it , and those that do feed on it do n’t typically do any serious damage , whereas many of these coinage of works have a tendency to become encroaching . Aphids are potential to be the only case of insect pest you ’ll encounter .
A kind of aphids , but primarily the bronze or inglorious soft rush aphid ( Schizaphis scirpi ) , feed in on water - loving plants in this family . They live at the base of plant and usually do n’t do much , if any , damage . You might see a yellowing foliage here or there .
You do n’t require to do anything to treat with an plague unless you really require to , especially since bulrush aphids wo n’t nettle other phratry of plant .
If you determine they ’re tug you disturbed , read our pathfinder to learn how to manage an aphid infestation .
Disease
If your sedge comes down with some sort of disease , call me , because I ’m pretty confident that disease among this family of works are a myth .
I ’ve seen pictures of rusting fungus on a few plants , but with how talented masses are with Photoshop these solar day , I ’m still not sure …
Alright , I kid . But in earnest – these plants are pretty problematical .
All sedge are susceptible to rust to some academic degree , but some species and cultivars are more prone to contracting or succumbing to it . you’re able to always do a picayune inquiry before buy a particular plant to see if it ’s resistant or not .
Rust is because of several different species of fungi in thePucciniaandUromycesgenera .
Regardless of which mintage pays your plants a sojourn , you ’ll see dark little row or spots of fungus on the leaves . It spreads when there is pot of piss around , whether that ’s in the form of humidity , rain , or piddle splash from the earth .
You know , the form of precondition that this particular type of plant roll in the hay .
If your plants are impacted , you may trim away the taint bit and handle what remains with atomic number 29 fungicide . To avoid infection , reckon for resistant cultivars and water supply at the soil level rather than on the foliation .
Best Uses
sedge can be used as both specimen plants and lawn alternative . They ’re ideal for rain gardens because the roots help to defend the ground and slow overspill . They can also draw wet down into the soil .
Just be cautious and do your enquiry to fend off planting a diversity that is view invasive in your area , to avoid problems down the route . Your local extension office can aid you compute out which species to nullify .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Sedges Have the Edge in Difficult-to-Cultivate Spaces
There are so many sedge , from the marvelous ornamentals we habituate in our gardens to the encroaching pestilence that have escaped from their aboriginal home .
So long as you are paying attention about which one you opt , you’re able to have an exceptionally carefree plant to help beautify your space .
If you want tolearn a bit more about grass - like plants and using them in the garden , we have a few guide that I hope you ’ll find interesting :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photograph via Arbico Organics , Fast Growing Trees , IB Prosperity , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .
About
Kristine Lofgren
