Tall sedge (Carex appressa)

When it flowers

January, not flowering
February, not flowering
March, not flowering
April, not flowering
May, not flowering
June, not flowering
July, not flowering
August, not flowering
September, flowering
October, flowering
November, flowering
December, flowering

Tall sedge, Carex appressa forms tussocks. Gundaroo Common, Gundaroo NSW Australia, April 2009.. Photo: John Tann from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Carex appressa R.Br., Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT, 14 October 2010. Photo: Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Tough, fountain-shaped sedge for pond edges, swales and wet ground.

A robust sedge found in wet places right across Australia. Its arching green leaves and brown flower spikes make a dense clump that filters runoff and stabilises banks. Leaf edges are rough and can cut.

In the garden

Mass planting
Banks and slopes
Pond and bog edges

Attracts: Birds and shelter for small wildlife
Flowers: Narrow, brown flower spikes held above the leaves.
Leaves: Long, arching, bright green leaves with rough, sharp edges.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Sandy, loam and clay
Drainage: Copes with waterlogging
Frost: Hard frost
Water: Some dry spells
Climate: Subtropical, dry summers (Mediterranean), temperate and cool and alpine

Planting and care

Grown from: Seed and division

Planting

Sun or part shade in wet or damp soil, including shallow water at pond edges. Space 70 cm apart.

Pruning

Cut back hard in late winter every few years to renew the clump. Wear gloves.

Care

Keep moist. No feeding needed.

Where it comes from

Family: Cyperaceae
Order: Poales
Native to: ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia
Natural range: Swamps, creeks and wet ground across Australia.

Widely available.

We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.

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Tall sedge Carex appressa