Carex appalachica

Appalachian sedge

Not all sedges are the same and this one is a beauty! The finely textured, medium green leaves of Appalachian Sedge grow between 12-18 inches in length, but the clumps arch gracefully over to the ground, actually only 6 to 10 inches tall. It can be grown as a specimen, where it provides beautiful textural contrast to broad leaf neighbors in the garden, or it can be grown en masse, catching the light and creating terrific visual movement as it swirls around rocks or trees, especially on a hillside. Native in dry woodlands from Canada to South Carolina, it tolerates poor soils (as long as it is not wet) and is a great plant for a no-mow lawn alternative in various levels of light, from shade to dappled sun to part sun in our part of the country (Piedmont).