Carex tumulicola
This native sedge, with rounded grass-like foliage, has become a popular component of modern native landscapes due to its versatility and manageable size. It’s evergreen, drought-tolerant and looks great just about anywhere you plant it, in every season.
- Plant type/canopy layer: evergreen perennial sedge, herb/ground layer
- Size at maturity: 8" tall, 18" wide
- Light requirements: full sun, part sun/part shade
- Moisture requirements: dry to moist soil
- Bloom time: n/a
- Growth rate/ease: moderate growth rate, easy to grow
- Wildlife support: unknown
- Native habitat/range: Grasslands, oak savanna, dry slopes, and openings in forest up to 800 meters; west of the Cascades from northern California to British Columbia. Portland Plant List - yes.
- Special features & uses: drought tolerant
Gardening with Foothill Sedge: Perhaps the best thing about Foothill Sedge is that it’s one of the least-fussy plants out there when it comes to light exposure, acidity, moisture, soil consistency or nutrient density and its simple grass-like form mixes well with other plants. Plant it under a tree or right out in the open and it will give your perennial gardens and pollinator meadows year-round structure.
Photo Credit 1: Seven Oaks Native Nursery