I must be getting old and lazy, because I find myself developing a keen appreciation for easy-to-grow plants. One that’s caught my attention lately is the variegated form of broadleaved creeping sedge, Carex siderosticha ‘Variegata’.
Variegated broadleaved creeping sedge forms a lovely little grasslike mound.
Photo Credit: Gerald Klingaman
This 3-year-old stand of ‘Variegata’ makes a nice edging for shady areas.
Photo Credit: Gerald Klingaman
What are sedges? They’re grasslike perennials with leaves arranged in clusters of three. Cut the emerging shoot in a cross section near the base and you can plainly see the triangular arrangement common to all 2,000 sedge species.
This herbaceous species dies back each fall with frost, only to reappear in early April. As the 18-inch-long grassy leaves emerge in spring, the plant sends up 18 inch-tall-spikes of flowers. Unfortunately the blooms aren’t ornamental. (In fact, I usually snip these off to keep the plant tidy.) Other than the flower spikes, this sedge doesn’t have an aboveground stem. Altogether the plant forms a small mound of gracefully arching foliage about a foot tall and 1-2 feet wide. It grows from USDA hardiness zones 5 or 6-9.
The variegated form features broad, creamy-white stripes that run the length of the leaf. It’s the most commonly offered selection you’ll find. The plant will hold its stripes in shade, but in sunny locations, they’ll turn gold as the summer heats up.
Plants spread fairly quickly by means of an underground rhizome. I planted a row of divisions along the side of a garden path in 2003. In just three years, it spread to a solid row about a foot across with the leaves arching out to form a 2-foot-wide border.
One of the reasons sedges are so popular in gardens is because they look a lot like grass but they tolerate shade. I use mine to border woodland and natural walkways or for a spot of color in shaded areas. Broadleaved sedge does best in reasonably good soil that’s irrigated during the summertime. It has no pest problems that I’ve seen and shows no evidence of spreading by seed.
This little plant works perfectly for so many problem areas. If you’ve got a shady spot that needs some lightening up and don’t want to work too hard at upkeep, consider this little creeping sedge. It may be small in size, but it’s big on impact!
