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California sedge

Carex californica

California sedge
Photo: Justin Paulin, CC BY 4.0

California sedge is a tussock-forming, rhizomatous perennial grass-like plant native to western North America, often used in native and drought-tolerant gardens. It grows best in well-drained conditions in a sunny or lightly shaded spot.

Family
Cyperaceae (Cyper family)
Grows as
Grass, Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water regularly while establishing, then reduce to occasional deep watering once established.
Soil
Well-drained soil, tolerant of clay and sandy loams.
Temperature
Hardy in mild temperate climates; tolerates cold in winter, protect young plants in severe frost.
How easy
Easy
Native range
W. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate

About

Carex californica is a tussock-forming species of perennial sedge in the family Cyperaceae. It is native to western parts of the United States.

The sedges have long rhizomes and form colonies. The smooth to roughly textured culms are 15 to 60 cm (5.9 to 23.6 in) in length. The bladeless leaves have a purple tinge and have fibrous proximal sheaths with a diameter of 2 to 6 mm (0.079 to 0.236 in) with small projections that are 2 to 6 mm (0.079 to 0.236 in) long and sometimes wider than they are long. The inflorescences are 4 to 15 cm (1.6 to 5.9 in) in length.

Other Carex plants

Carex abitibiana · Indian Valley sedge · Abruptbeak sedge · Thicket sedge · Small Dusky Sedge · Seoul Sedge · Acid Loving Sedge · Carex acocksii · Slender Tufted-sedge · Carex acutata · Lesser pond sedge · Circumpolar sedge

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Carex californica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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