Japanese Sedge

Does anyone have any experience with japanese sedge ?

I've grown a couple of them...my climate's nothing like yours but did you have particular questions?

No particular questions. Just wanted others experiences with the plants.

Well, I can tell you that gophers find them tasty! Don't think that'll be a problem for you though. The ones at my old house where I didn't have so many gophers did well, although I moved within a year of planting them so I don't have long term experience with them. I had them in a spot that got filtered sun most of the day and they seemed very happy. I planted them here in a sunnier location, but the gophers munched them less than a week after I planted them. One of them still has some life in it but I'm not sure if it's going to recover or not, it's about 90% brown.

I don't have the gopher problem- Thank goodness.. I have one planted in full sun and the other is in part sun. They both seem to be doing well.. I just love those things. I should have gotten more-now I can't find any locally.

tcinmb.

Hi there! I'm right up the road and (on Friday or Sat.) I just bought 5 Old Gold Japancese sedge at Lowe's in NMB so maybe the Lowe's your way has them. Looked like they just got them in and I'm tempted to go get more if I knew for sure the rabbits wouldn't eat them. I think Old Gold and Evergold are basically the same.

Does anyone know if rabits eat them? I can't even get my darn Mexican Petunias going since the little scoundrels must find the new tender leaves tasty. I have to move them. So do you think rabbits eat the Japanese Sedge? I just love it's look!

Good Luck, tc.

I don't have the rabbit problem here. I haven't been to the Lowes in NMB yet I'll check tomorrow. I just love the sedge and want more!! Thanks for the tip!!

Thank goodness I don't have a rabbit issue here so I don't know if they'd eat these or not. If rabbits have similar taste in plants as gophers, then they'll eat them. But since rabbits start from the top down on plants and gophers work from the bottom up starting with the roots, I'm not sure if they like the same things!

I believe my 'All Gold' Hakone (see picture and posting below) is a Japanese sedge. It does fine in partial shade, and I keep it in a container and overwinter it in my compost pile, with leaves on top.

Karen,
Please post a picture for us so we can see how you use it. Thanks!

Hakone grass is Hakonechloa macra, another common name is Japanese Forest Grass which is probably what's causing the confusion, it's not the same as Japanese sedge which is a Carex species and is in a different family than the grasses.

Thanks, Ecrane3, for the information on the difference between Japanese Forest Grass and Japanese sedge. Do they both grow in the shade? Here's the picture I mentioned of my Hakone grass 'All Gold'.

In my experience though the Carex (at least the ones I've grown) can handle more sun than Hakonechloa. I still wouldn't put the Carex in full sun though, at least not in my climate.

I need to divide mine. Any suggestions??

Always wait until the cool season to divide carex species. I've been down that road before.

Do you dig the whole plant up and then divide?

I am wondering the same thing. I have some carex buchaneii which I LOVE and need to divide. So spring or fall, which cool season? Also do you cut it back? If so, when? Thanks

Ditto!!

Yes, dig the entire plant and then divide. I wouldn't divide them in more than 2-3 plants because smaller carex divisions are generally harder to keep alive. It doesn't matter which cool season you decide to divide them in, but make sure they have enough time to get established in the ground before it freezes. It's going to depend on your zone as to when the best time to divide will be.

Got it. I'm in zone 8b. I just planted them in April. Should I wait until next year??

Thanks dc. I really like the way this arches over and the color that just draws the eye in the garden.

tc, I would divide as soon as your temps reach highs of 70-75 degrees. Then it's a good time to divide and they'll have plenty of time to put on growth before the ground gets too cool. In fact, they should put on a lot of growth this fall as soon as it cools down a bit. I'm in zone 7b and we generally divide carex in mid-Sept.

Thanks for your info!!!