
Carex flaccosperma 'Blue Wood Sedge' is a clump forming sedge prized for its soft blue green foliage and adaptability to dry shade. This cultivar performs well under trees, between shrubs, or in shaded garden beds, where it forms dense attractive ground level masses.
Height & Spread: 12 - 18 in x 12 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Spring
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist to dry, well drained soil; tolerant of clay
Watering Needs: Low to moderate; more frequent watering during drought
Deer Resistance: Deer resistant
Native Status
This cultivar is derived from the native species Carex flaccosperma, which is indigenous to the southeastern United States and typically found in moist forests and shaded floodplains.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Hosts caterpillars of woodland skippers such as Zabulon Skipper and Lace Winged Roadside Skippers.
Birds
- Songbirds including Towhees and Thrushes forage among the clumps and consume seeds in late summer.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 12 - 18 in apart to create a dense, weed suppressing layer in shaded gardens.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for woodland paths, underplanting large deciduous trees, or massing in shaded rain gardens. Its subtle color makes it a useful foliage contrast beneath shrubs and taller perennials.
Companion Plants
- Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower) - Offers frothy white flowers and attractive foliage in shade gardens alongside Carex.
- Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s Seal) - Brings arching form and seasonal interest to forest edge beds.
- Heuchera villosa (Coral Bells) - Adds colorful foliage and summer blooms, thriving in the same conditions.
- Chasmanthium latifolium (River Oats) - Introduces ornamental seed heads and taller vertical structure in woodland designs.
- Aquilegia canadensis (Wild Columbine) - Adds spring color and pollinator support in part shade among sedges.