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A good liriope replacement, blue wood sedge is best for moist areas, such as stream and pond margins.

A good liriope replacement, blue wood sedge is best for moist areas, such as stream and pond margins.
USDA, NRCS. 2012. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 5 October 2012). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

Carex flaccosperma

Blue wood sedge

Native to North America


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FIRST IMPRESSIONS:  Carex flaccosperma is a petite perennial sedge that forms attractive slowly spreading clumps.  The narrow leaves are a striking blue-green and are often evergreen.  In late spring greenish scaly flower spikes are displayed above and beyond the foliage.  Interesting brown seed spikes follow. This sedge occurs in wet woods or can be planted in moist or wet shade gardens.

HABITAT & HARDINESS:  Carex flaccosperma is native from New Jersey south to the Florida panhandle and west to Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and east Texas.

Plants are indigenous to moist meadows, low rich woodlands, flood plains, margins of swamps and open disturbed sites.

Hardy from USDA Zones 5-8.

PLANT DESCRIPTION:  Carex flaccosperma grows in compact clumps of arching bluish foliage. Plants gradually form small colonies from short underground rhizomes.

Foliage is glaucous and blue, blue-green or medium green.  Leaves are generally 6-12” and about 1/2” wide.  Blades have an almost quilted appearance due to the prominent parallel veins and are evergreen through most of the range.

In spring culms bear terminal staminate (male) spikes with purplish or brownish scales. The pistillate (female) spikes below have pale green or reddish scales and an abundance of large oblong perigynia.  The perigynium is a sac that encloses the pistillate flower and later the seed.  As seed matures the perigynia turn a golden brown color.

This sedge is up to 1’ tall with a 1’ spread.

CULTURAL & MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Carex flaccosperma prospers in moist woodland gardens with bright shade.  This sedge can also take some sun but only if planted in rich moist soil.  In sun may tend to be lanky.  

Plants are not finicky about soil and are tolerant of average soils, wet sites and clay.

Established plants are drought tolerant, pest resistant and unpalatable to deer and other herbivores.  A limited number of seedlings are produced but this is not an invasive sedge.

In garden situations, plants should be cut to the ground during late winter before new growth is initiated. 

LANDSCAPE USES:  Carex flaccosperma is a valuable Groundcover or Edging Plant for a Shade Garden.  This sedge is useful in meadows and is lovely when Grouped or Massed in wet areas beside a stream or pond.  The unique leaf color allows this sedge to serve as an eye catching Accent, Grouping or Mass Planting.   Plants provide Erosion Control and Winter Interest and are appropriate for Deer Resistant Plantings, Low Maintenance Plantings, Rain Gardens, Rock Gardens and Wildlife Gardens.

Carex flaccosperma is a great native substitute for the popular Asian groundcovers Liriope muscari and Ophiopogon japonicus.

COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS:  Suitable garden companions for Carex flaccosperma could include:  Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’, Iris cristata, Phlox divaricate, Viola walteri ‘Silver Gem’, Spigelia marilandica, and Polystichum acrostichoides.

Carex laxiculmis is similar in appearance but requires a consistently moist or wet site without episodes of drought.

TRIVIA:  Carex flaccosperma is similar in appearance to C. laxiculmis.  Some differences between the two are that C. flaccosperma will tolerate some drought and has up to 60 beakless perigynia per spike.  C. laxiculmis, on the other hand, requires moisture and each pistillate spike has 4-9 perigynia with bent tapering beaks.


Height:

1 ft

Spread:

1 ft

Spacing:

18-24 in

USDA Hardiness Zone:

5-8

Bloom Color:

Blue

Carex flaccosperma Characteristics

Attracts Wildlife

  • Pollinators

Attributes

  • Naturalizing
  • Rain Garden
  • Ground Cover
  • East-Coast Native
  • Clay Soil
  • Bog

Exposure

  • Full Sun to Full Shade

Deer Resistant

  • Deer Resistant

Flowering Months

  • June

Foliage Color

  • Blue

Grass Season

  • Cool Season Grass

Groundcover Foot-Traffic Tolerances

  • Light

Lawn Replacement or Groundcover

  • Groundcover

Soil Moisture Preference

  • Moist to Wet

Interesting Notes:

For more information on this plant, visit the USDA PLANTS Database: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CAFL3


Plants that work well with Carex flaccosperma ''

Dales alum root Dales alum root (Heuchera americana 'Dales Strain')
Woodland Phlox Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
Appalachian blue violet (No Advance Orders) Appalachian blue violet (No Advance Orders) (Viola walteri 'Silver Gem')
Golden star Golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum)
Golden star Golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum 'Superstar')
Hairy alumroot Hairy alumroot (Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride')
Golden star Golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum 'Allen Bush')
Morris Berd smooth phlox Morris Berd smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima 'Morris Berd')
Dwarf crested iris (No Advance Orders) Dwarf crested iris (No Advance Orders) (Iris cristata 'Tennessee White')

Substitutions for Carex flaccosperma

Seersucker sedge Seersucker sedge (Carex plantaginea)