Evergold sedge

Sun

Partial shade is ideal. Tolerates full sun in cool climates if the soil stays moist; give it afternoon shade in hot areas.

Water

Keep the soil evenly moist while establishing. Once established, water during dry spells; avoid both prolonged drought and waterlogged soil.

Soil

Moist but well-drained soil enriched with organic matter; tolerates clay, loam and sandy soil if drainage and moisture are suitable.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Small, inconspicuous brown flower spikes in spring; grown mainly for foliage.

Foliage

Narrow, arching leaves with broad creamy-yellow centres and dark green margins; evergreen in milder climates.

Growth

Moderate; gradually forms a wider, dense clump.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.2 ft (0.36 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.2 ft (0.37 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water regularly through the first growing season, allowing excess water to drain away.
• Apply a thin layer of compost around the clump in spring; keep it away from the crown.
• Mulch lightly to conserve moisture without burying the base of the leaves.
• Water containers when the surface of the compost begins to dry, and keep drainage holes clear.
• Divide congested or thinning clumps in spring, usually every three to five years.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, comb out dead leaves and snip damaged blades at the base before fresh growth starts. Avoid routine hard cutting of healthy evergreen foliage; if winter damage is extensive, trim the damaged leaves back without cutting into the crown.

Late winter

Check for winter damage and remove dead or badly browned leaves.

Spring

Plant new clumps or divide established ones as growth resumes.

Spring

Top-dress with compost and renew a light mulch, leaving the crown exposed.

Summer

Water during dry spells, especially in containers and beneath trees.

Autumn

Remove fallen leaves that collect over the crown and check that the soil drains freely.

Winter

Leave healthy foliage in place; shelter pots from severe freezes and persistent winter wet.

• Edge a shaded path with repeated clumps for a soft, bright boundary.
• Plant beneath deciduous shrubs with ferns and hellebores to provide foliage through winter.
• Use in containers with dark-leaved heucheras, letting the arching leaves soften the rim.
• Repeat among broad-leaved hostas to contrast fine and bold foliage textures.
• Plant in small groups beside rocks or stepping stones in Japanese-inspired gardens.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Japanese, Modern courtyard, Small-space, Winter interest and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Hostas, Hellebores, Japanese painted ferns, Heucheras, Siberian bugloss and Japanese forest grass.

Wildlife: Dense clumps provide small-scale shelter for insects and other invertebrates. The wind-pollinated flowers offer little nectar value for bees or butterflies.

• Brown tips or scorched leaves: check for dry soil, hot afternoon sun or drying winds; water deeply and provide more shelter or shade.
• Crown or root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage, reduce watering and replace badly rotted plants.
• Aphids on young growth: wash off small colonies with water; use insecticidal soap if an infestation persists.
• Plain green shoots: remove them at their point of origin so they do not overtake the variegated growth.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people; no poisonous parts are recognised. It is not an edible plant, and chewing the fibrous leaves may cause irritation or stomach upset.

• Ice Dance sedge (Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance')

  Its leaves have green centres and creamy-white margins, the reverse of Evergold's pattern; it also spreads more readily into patches.

• Everillo sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Everillo')

  Its foliage is golden yellow to lime green rather than striped with dark green margins.

• Aureola Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola')

  It has broader, softer leaves carried on jointed stems and dies back in winter, unlike the usually evergreen, basal leaves of Evergold.

The species name oshimensis refers to Oshima in Japan, while 'Evergold' describes the persistent golden colouring of its leaves.

Propagation. Divide healthy clumps in spring, keeping roots and several growing shoots on each division. Replant promptly and water well. Seed does not reliably reproduce the 'Evergold' leaf pattern.

Accepted botanical name

Carex oshimensis

Native range

Japan.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.