I will admit, it took time for me to learn to appreciate the lowly sedge. It took time for me to appreciate any grass-like plants. We all have our biases, even when it comes to plants. For me, having grown up only knowing grasses to be turf or pampas with its scalpel-edge blades, I didn’t even want to look at them.
To be honest I’m still learning to appreciate grasses, but sedges are not grass. They’re not even in the same family. The relationship between sedges and grasses is like their relationship to bromeliads (like air plants); in the same order, but that’s it. More recently, I realized that sedges could, should be treated similarly to how we look at hostas. Most grow in these lovely clumping habits. Some even have wide blades. Many grow in the same habitat as hostas. They’re highly ornamental, and can fill in as a ground-cover.
However, there are several ways that sedges far outcompete hostas when it comes to landscape design. First, deer don’t eat sedges. As far as I’m aware, no mammals eat sedges. Hostas, on the other hand, look like they’ve been cut to the ground with shears if there are herbivores around. Second, sedges are a host plant for skippers. Hostas are not native here, so they don’t play any major roles in our ecosystem. Third, you can walk on them. You will absolutely notice if someone stomps through your hosta bed, but sedges can handle it. Fourth, there’s a sedge for every site, and hostas really only do best in a shade garden. There are sedges that can handle full sun in drought, like this one.
White-tinted sedge is sun and drought tolerant
That’s right. The main photo here was taken on September 10th, 2024, in the middle of a significant drought. It’s growing in full sun, thanks to the fact that my neighbor had cut down pretty much all the trees that were casting shade in this area. There’s no mulch. The site is exposed, because it’s in a path, so no leaf cover. I certainly wasn’t watering the woods – I don’t think I have a hose that would even reach this far. Everything here has to grow as nature intended, no help from me.
Why aren’t we using these instead of turf grass? I mean, sure, it clumps, instead of making a pristine monochromatic green space, but you can plant all sorts of things in between. Recently, I added Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax next to the clumps in the other photo to start filling in. You can step on those as well. Potentilla canadensis would work here as well, as would Claytonia virginica, Viola palmata, Salvia lyrata, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Hypoxis hirsuta and more, all of which are dry-site tolerant. Some of these even prefer dry sites. And you can step on all of them.
Wouldn’t that be lovelier than turf?
Sedges for edges
The saying goes “Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses have knees which bend to the ground.” The landscaper’s limerick might go like “Sedges for edges, rushes for ponds, grasses add structure and in winter look blonde.” If you have ugly, bare spots on the ground that tend to get a bit of abuse, especially near paved area, try the white-tinted sedge. If you don’t believe me, I’m pretty sure this is the one that I have growing from a crack in my driveway. That plant has been driven over, stepped on, and salted to high heavens in winter (I mean, over time), and it’s doing just fine. Sedges for cracks, too. Sedges everywhere.
I really think they’re growing on me.
Stop mowing under trees
No, seriously, stop mowing under trees. Even better, mulch them, plant under them, but don’t mow under them. If you get irritated with tree roots in the lawn where you mow, stop mowing. “But Magi, we don’t have much yard, I can’t turn it all into a flowerbed.” That’s fine, plant this instead, you’ll never have to mow again. Plant it with the other ones I mentioned earlier, too. Those can all handle growing around tree roots. In fact, one of the other common names for this sedge is “oak sedge.” I’m not surprised, since that’s where I found mine growing. Every single time your blades hit a tree trunk or root, you are introducing an injury to the tree which weakens it and shortens its life. If you have a beloved tree that’s struggling, stop everything and immediately go spread several inches of wood chips over the root zone. That should help it begin to heal as they break down. Then consider planting sedges there instead, which don’t need to be mowed.
Root gardening
Root gardening is similar to rock gardening, and something I’ve been working on perfecting over the last few years. This is not the same thing as a soft landing. I want to see those roots because they’re part of the picture, and a soft landing is meant to hide them. It’ll be softer than the hard ground (especially with sedges), but even in the woods, you don’t have things planted all the way up to trees. Just look at my Danthonia spicata photo in the shop. It’s pretty bare around most trees, because trees get thirsty, and their roots are pretty thick. In any case, this sedge is one that I will find growing at the base of trees, so it’s on my list of plants to use for this technique.
Reminder about drought tolerant plants
Just in case it needs to be said, anything you plant has to be watered until established. That includes drought-tolerant plants. You may not want to water them as often, because that could lead to rot. All I’m saying is that if you decide to plant something in the hot dry sun in the middle of a drought, please stay on top of watering it. Otherwise, you will kill it. It’s certainly not my fault if you plant something and it dies because you didn’t water it. Drought tolerance only happens once plants are established (something like this should be fine after the first year). I would also protect them until they’re established – don’t host a soccer game on a newly planted native lawn.
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