Carex flagellifera

Carex flagellifera: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Loose, weeping clump 40–60 cm tall and up to 80 cm wide, evergreen.

Leaves

Very long, narrow and soft, 2–3 mm wide, arching downwards; bronze-brown to copper, greener in shade.

Flower

Inconspicuous brown spikes on thin stems, in June–July.

Stem

Like many sedges it has triangular flower stems, thin and flexible.

Roots

Dense, fibrous clump that slowly gets wider.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: March–May · Pruning: March–April

Why grow it?

• Bronze foliage all year round, even in winter when the garden is bare.
• Hangs gracefully over the edge of a pot, a wall or a raised border.
• Adds movement and a warm colour next to green and grey foliage.
• Low maintenance: no pruning needed, just an occasional combing.
• Very good in pots and containers, also for a small garden or patio.

Carex flagellifera: where does it grow best?

• Sun to half shade; in the sun the leaves colour the best bronze, in shade they turn greener.
• Well-drained but moisture-retentive soil: sand or loam, acid to chalky.
• Evenly moist soil is ideal; it does not tolerate long drought or wet winters.
• Shelter it from severe frost, for example against a wall. Allow 50–60 cm between plants.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.8 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -12 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Heuchera: Dark red or purple foliage next to the bronze-brown grass.
• Sedum: Thick leaves and late flowers in pink or red.
• Blue fescue: A blue-grey grass for contrast in colour and form.
• Heather: Evergreen and flowering in autumn and winter, in the same pot or edge.
• Pansies: Cheerful winter plants in a pot around the clump.

Carex flagellifera: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May.

1. Plant in March–May, when the worst frosts are over.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in some compost and coarse sand for good drainage.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, with the root ball level with the soil surface.
4. Space plants 50–60 cm apart, or put one plant in a pot of 30 cm or more across, with potting compost and a drainage layer.
5. Water thoroughly straight away and keep the soil moist during the first season.
6. A thin layer of compost or fine bark around the clump keeps the soil moist; keep the crown free.

Care

Water

Keep the soil slightly moist; in a pot water as soon as the top few centimetres are dry. Do not let it dry out.

Feeding

In spring compost or organic fertiliser; in a pot give diluted liquid feed every 4 weeks during growth.

Combing

In March–April comb the dead, brown strands out of the clump with gloved fingers.

Dividing

If the heart of the clump is dead or bare, divide it in spring after 3–4 years.

Mulching

A thin layer of compost in spring; do not put a thick layer over the crown.

Tip: Comb out the dead leaves with your fingers in spring, but do not cut the clump short. Grow it in a pot in a sheltered spot and protect it in severe frost.

Carex flagellifera: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March–April.

When: In March–April: comb rather than prune.

How:

• Comb the dead, brown strands out of the clump with gloved fingers or a small rake.
• If necessary, trim damaged or bare leaf tips lightly.
• Cut off spent flower spikes if they bother you, but it is not necessary.
• Divide a bare clump in spring.

Caution: Do not cut the clump short: the foliage regrows slowly and the plant can look bare for a long time.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In April–May lift the clump and divide it with a sharp knife or spade into rooted pieces; replant straight away and water.

Seed

Possible in spring, but germination is slow and seedlings may differ in colour from the parent plant.

Carex flagellifera: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −12 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Limited hardiness, to about −12 °C: in harsher winters the foliage may turn brown or the clump may freeze back.
• In the garden: choose a sheltered spot against a wall and lay leaves or pine branches around the base in frost.
• In a pot: place it against a wall, wrap the pot in hessian or bubble wrap and make sure water can drain away.

Diseases and pests

• Brown, dry leaves: Old leaves die off. Comb them out; do not cut the clump short.
• Winter damage: Brown foliage or brown tips after severe frost. Wait until spring, comb it out and water; the plant often shoots again.
• Drying out in a pot: Brown tips and a dry clump. Water regularly and use a larger pot.
• Rot in wet soil: The clump goes soft and dies in wet winters. Provide free-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Comb out dead leaves.
• April: Plant or divide. Comb. Add compost.
• May: Plant. Feed and water pots.
• June: Inconspicuous brown spikes flower.
• July: Water pots and in dry spells.
• August: Extra water for pots.
• October: Move pots against a wall.
• November: Wrap the pot and protect the base in frost.

Did you know?

• The species name flagellifera literally means ‘whip-bearing’, a reference to the long, flexible leaves.
• In the wild the plant occurs only in New Zealand.
• The leaf colour depends strongly on light: bronze in the sun, greener in shade.