Carex cherokeensis
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAIR-eks cher-oh-kee-en-sis
- Description
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Cherokee Sedge is a native plant in the cypress family that is usually found growing along the edges of woodlands in moist sites from NC south to Florida and west to Texas. It grows 1-2 feet high with a similar spread and is evergreen with 16-inch arching grass-like leaves. The combination of flowers and seed heads in spring add some additional interest. It is a tough plant that is heat, wet soil and deer tolerant.
This sedge prefers partial sun to shade and moist soil but is adaptable to full sun and average garden soils if given some water during dry spells. It slowly increases its clump size over time by rhizomes which makes it a well-behaved sedge to use in perennial gardens. It can be used as a groundcover, for edging, to add a fine airy accent and around ponds, bogs and streams.
Sedges should never be cut down to the ground but only given a light haircut in late winter to early spring to improve the form.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Carex
- Species:
- cherokeensis
- Family:
- Cyperaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE and central USA
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , FL , GA , KY , LA , MO , MS , NC , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA
- Wildlife Value:
- Deer resistant. Grasses help provide cover for small critters like toads and nesting material for birds. This plant also supports various Satyr larvae.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- 2 inch long wheat-like greenish seed heads in spring to early summer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Grass-like flower is produced in mid-spring in multiple, drooping pistillate spikes
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Slender green grass-like leaves are arching and 16 inches long by 1/4 inch wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Flexible green stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
