Sedges have enjoyed unprecedented attention the last few years. Articles in The Washington Post (2017), Horticulture (2022) and Landscape Architecture (2023) introduced many gardeners to plants in the genus Carex, which are commonly referred to as sedges.
While there are colorful, variegated selections from Asia that have been in cultivation for decades, it’s the North American natives getting the press. A 2023 trials report by Mt. Cuba Center put them squarely in the spotlight. The research team evaluated 70 different species and cultivars of native carex for the Mid-Atlantic region.
That may seem like a big number, but it’s a fraction of the more than 500 sedges native to North America. Given the range of species, there’s a sedge for every landscape situation. However, the availability of native sedges may be limited depending on where you’re located. The horticultural industry is aware of this and is eagerly bringing more of them into cultivation.
The attention is notable given native sedges’
