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Carex caryophyllea 'The Beatles'

Image of Carex caryophyllea 'The Beatles'

Mary S. Thomas

Family

Cyperaceae

Botanical Name

Carex caryophyllea 'The Beatles'

Plant Common Name

Spring Sedge, The Beatles Spring Sedge, Vernal Sedge

General Description

This is an eye-catching, useful selection of a sedge native to the U.S. The long, slender leaves grow in a mop-like clump, hence the cultivar name. ‘The Beatles.’ The short flower stems barely rise beyond the leaves. They appear in spring, earliest among the sedges (hence the common name of this plant, spring sedge). In bloom, the flower spikes briefly resemble fuzzy catkins and the seedpods that follow are distinctively multi-pointed. Though it much resembles an ornamental grass, it belongs to a different family all together, and like many of its fellow sedges, ‘The Beatles’ is more versatile than grasses, being tolerant of both full sun and partial sun and moist to wet soils. Remove the dead leaves in winter to make way for the new leaves in spring. This plant is rhizomatous (spreads by underground stems) so one eventually becomes many.

Grow ‘The Beatles’ in sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. Use it for its contrasts of color, texture and habit in containers, mixed beds and mixed borders. Or plant it as edging for walkways, or massed as a groundcover.

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    9 - 7

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    7 - 11

  • Plant Type

    Sedge or Rush

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade

  • Height

    3'-4' / 0.9m - 1.2m

  • Width

    4'-6' / 1.2m - 1.8m

  • Bloom Time

    Spring

  • Native To

    Northeastern United States

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Neutral, Alkaline

  • Soil Drainage

    Poorly Drained

  • Soil type

    Clay, Loam, Sand

  • Tolerances

    Wet Site

  • Growth Rate

    Medium

  • Water Requirements

    Average Water

  • Habit

    Thicket/Colonizing

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Insignificant

  • Flower Color

    White, Tan

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Winter)

    Green

  • Fragrant Flowers

    No

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Medium

  • Foliage Sheen

    Matte

  • Evergreen

    Semi-Evergreen

  • Showy Bark

    Yes

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Rock Garden / Wall

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    Sometimes

  • Self-Sowing

    Yes