Blue Sedge Carex glaucescens
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAY-reks glaw-KES-sens
- Description
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Blue sedge is an attractive herbaceous perennial in the sedge family (Cyperaceae). It is native to the Southeast, where it occurs along pond or stream margins, in bogs, swamps, ditches, wet meadows, and in seasonally wet areas. The species epithet is Latin and means “having a waxy or powdery coating on the surface that gives a bluish cast.” The bluish cast is especially noticeable on the flask-like uritcles that enclose the ripening fruits.
Due to the high moisture needs of this sedge, it should be planted in light shade on a consistently moist site. It does best in acidic, humus-rich or peaty soils. If grown along a pond margin where moisture is always present, it can grow in full sun.
Blue sedge is a large sedge, elegant when in flower or fruit. The inflorescence bears a few pendulous spikes in late spring or early summer. The spikes mature and turn brown. While the fruits are not widely eaten by wildlife, this erect segge is used for cover. To propagate, divide the rootball or collect seeds from seedheads that have dried on the plant.
This is a plant for a native or rain garden, or along the margin of a permanent pond. It can serve as a border, accent or ground cover.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- 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:
- glaucescens
- Family:
- Cyperaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE. U.S.A. to Texas
- Wildlife Value:
- While the fruits are not widely eaten by wildlife, occasionally used for cover. This plant supports larvae of certain satyrine butterflies (Nymphalidae-Satyrinae).
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Brown pendulous, pistillate spikes bloom late spring to early summer with yellowish, smooth glaucous fruits developing in late summer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Blooms from May to June.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Papery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Pond
- Pool/Hardscape
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
