Deciduous Perennial Upright, Spreading in the Cyperaceae Family
Buy Emory's Sedge
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Notes
Price
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A wetland native that forms tufts of straw colored foliage with bright green new growth. An emergent aquatic that grows well in stream banks, wet meadows and along shore lines.
Carex emoryi is a native North American sedge that forms dense, spreading clumps. Growing 1-2 feet tall, this species features narrow, blue-green leaf blades and distinctive, cylindrical flower/fruit spikes. Emory's Sedge prefers consistently moist to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade conditions. It is naturally found in wetlands, stream banks, and other damp habitats. C. emoryi is valued for its ability to tolerate standing water, provide erosion control, and create textural groundcover. It also provides food and shelter for various wetland wildlife. With minimal maintenance required, it is a resilient and adaptable native sedge.
Pros
Thrives in wet, poorly-drained sites where many plants struggle
Spreading rhizomes help stabilize stream banks and control erosion
Provides food and cover for wetland wildlife
Low-maintenance native groundcover for rain gardens
Cons
Spreading habit can be aggressive in small garden spaces
Needs consistently moist to wet soil; not drought-tolerant
Inconspicuous flowers offer little ornamental color
Why Like
As an obligate wetland sedge, Carex emoryi plays an important role stabilizing stream banks and floodplain soils with its dense, rhizomatous root systems, reducing erosion along the wet edges it colonizes. Its seed heads provide food for waterfowl and songbirds, while the dense foliage offers cover and nesting material for marsh-dwelling wildlife. Like many Carex species, it also serves as a larval host plant for several skipper butterflies.
Plant Data
Mature Size
12 - 40 inches
tall. 12 - 18 inches
wide.
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Medium - Wet
Zones
3a - 8b
(Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags
Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Erosion Control, Full Sun, Grasses, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
Estimated Recipe Cost
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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About Ordering From The Plant Club
To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
No Pricing or Availability Right Now
We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region.
It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!
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