Carex morrowii 'Silk Tassel' is a refined cool season sedge prized for its narrow arching blades with a silvery green sheen. It forms neat low clumps that lend a graceful texture to shaded or partly shaded gardens. With its ability to hold color through winter in milder zones and its resistance to deer, it offers enduring structure and beauty to naturalized and formal plantings alike.
Height & Spread: 12 - 18 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Spring
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, well drained soil with moderate fertility
Watering Needs: Moderate; do not allow soil to fully dry out
Deer Resistance: Highly deer resistant due to coarse foliage texture
Native Status
Although native to Japan, Carex morrowii cultivars like 'Silk Tassel' are widely adapted and well suited for North American shade landscapes and woodland designs.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Birds
- Tufted titmice and white throated sparrows use the foliage for nesting material and shelter within dense clumps.
Beneficial Insects
- Supports populations of predatory ground beetles which use the shaded base for cover and feed on pest larvae.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space 12 - 18 in apart for solid edging or ground cover effect or up to 24 in for accent use in mixed plantings.
Landscape Placement:
- Perfect for woodland edges, shaded borders, underplanting shrubs, or as a tidy textural element in container designs.
Companion Plants
- Asarum europaeum (European Wild Ginger) - Glossy, evergreen leaves form a dense carpet around the base of the sedge.
- Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern) - Copper flushed fronds emerge in spring, adding seasonal color and height variation.
- Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee' - Delicate spring blooms and heart shaped foliage harmonize with the soft form of 'Silk Tassel'.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Silver veined leaves echo the sedge's tone while adding broad leaf contrast.
- Heuchera 'Palace Purple' - Deep burgundy foliage provides dramatic contrast with Carex's silvery tones.