Tufted sedge

Tufted sedge: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Dense, upright clump about 70 cm tall and 50 cm wide; in the wild old clumps grow into tussocks.

Leaves

Narrow, stiffly upright with arching tips; grey-green in the wild species, golden yellow with a thin green margin in ‘Aurea’.

Flowers

In April and May, brown spikes on three-sided stems: male at the top, female below.

Seed

Small nutlets in the female spikes; on wet soil it sometimes self-seeds.

Roots

A dense clump with short rhizomes, without long runners.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• A native plant for the pond edge, the marsh zone or a wet corner of the garden.
• ‘Aurea’ is one of the brightest golden foliage plants for wet soil, from April into summer.
• The tussocks give frogs, newts and insects shelter at the water’s edge.
• Dragonfly larvae climb the stems out of the water to emerge as adults.
• It does not spread: a neat clump that stays in its place, even in a small pond.
• Tolerates wet feet where many other plants rot.

Tufted sedge: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; ‘Aurea’ colours best in sun, as long as the soil stays wet.
• Loam, clay or peaty soil, acid to chalky.
• Wet to very moist: in the marsh zone or in shallow water, down to about 10 cm below the surface.
• It also grows in a border that never dries out, but not on dry sandy soil.
• Allow 40–50 cm between plants.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Wet

Size

0.7 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Marsh marigold: Yellow flowers in April on the same pond edge.
• Flowering rush: Pink flower heads in summer in shallow water.
• Water forget-me-not: Small blue flowers at its feet, in the marsh zone.
• Hemp agrimony: Pink flower heads in late summer, a butterfly plant for wet soil.
• Purple loosestrife: Purple flower spikes in summer, popular with bees.

Tufted sedge: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant in March–May or September–October.
2. In a pond: plant it in an aquatic basket with heavy, low-nutrient soil or clay, without potting compost or fertiliser.
3. Cover the soil with a layer of gravel so that it does not wash out and fish do not root about in it.
4. Stand the basket in the marsh zone or on a shelf, with the base of the plant 0–10 cm under water.
5. In a border: plant in wet soil at the same depth as it was in the pot, 40–50 cm apart, and water heavily straight away.

Care

Watering

Keep the soil wet at all times; in a border, water generously in dry spells. In summer, top up the pond with rainwater.

Feeding

Not needed, and certainly not in the pond: fertiliser encourages algae.

Cutting back

In March, cut the old, dead foliage back to 5–10 cm above the ground, before the new leaves appear.

Rejuvenating

Divide every few years, when the clump gets too big or goes bare in the middle.

Tidying

Remove dead leaves from the water so that they do not rot there.

Tip: Plant ‘Aurea’ in sun at the pond edge, where the soil never dries out: there the leaves are at their most golden and glow against the dark water.

Tufted sedge: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: Cut back the dead foliage in March, just before the new leaves appear.

How:

• Cut the old foliage down to 5–10 cm above the ground with secateurs or shears.
• Cut carefully around the young shoots, which appear early.
• Leave the old foliage all winter: it protects the centre and shelters small creatures.
• Take cut leaves out of the water and put them on the compost heap.

Caution: Wear gloves: the leaf edges are rough and can cut your hands.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In April–May, lift a clump or take it out of its basket and cut it into pieces with roots and shoots using a sharp knife or spade; replant straight away.

Seed

Sow ripe seed of the wild species in autumn or spring in a pot of wet compost standing in a saucer of water. Propagate ‘Aurea’ by division.

Tufted sedge: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection needed, even in the pond.
• The leaves die back and turn straw-yellow; leave them until March.
• An aquatic basket can stay in the water, even when it freezes.

Diseases and pests

• Brown leaf tips: A sign of drought. Keep the soil wet at all times.
• Green leaves on ‘Aurea’: In too much shade the leaves lose their golden colour. Give it more sun.
• Scorched leaves: ‘Aurea’ in full sun on soil that is too dry develops brown patches. Keep the soil wet or give some midday shade.
• Outgrowing its basket: After a few years the clump fills the basket. Lift it out of the water and divide it.

Through the year

• March: Cut old foliage back to 5–10 cm.
• April: Flowering: brown spikes. Plant or divide.
• May: Flowering. Plant in the pond.
• June: Golden foliage. Check the water level.
• July: Top up the pond with rainwater. Water in a border.
• August: Water in dry spells.
• September: Plant.
• October: Plant. Remove fallen leaves from the pond.
• November: The foliage dies back. Leave it standing.
• December: Dormant. Leave old foliage as winter protection.

Did you know?

• In the wild, old clumps of tufted sedge grow into tall tussocks that stand above the water.
• The male and female flowers are in separate spikes on the same stem: male at the top, female below.
• In English, ‘Aurea’ is also known as Bowles’ golden sedge, after the English gardener E. A. Bowles.