North Shore Plant Club
Little Midge Swamp Sedge (Carex muskingumensis 'Little Midge')
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| Deciduous Perennial Mounded, Clump-Forming in the Cyperaceae Family | |
A true miniature palm sedge, 'Little Midge' forms tidy 8-14in mounds of tiny palm-frond-like leaves with a striking honeycomb pattern when viewed from above. Perfect for containers, pond margins, and the front of a moist border. |
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'Little Midge' is a dwarf cultivar of Palm Sedge (Carex muskingumensis), a North American native wetland sedge, discovered and introduced by Limerock Nursery of Pennsylvania. Where the species typically reaches 2-3 feet, 'Little Midge' is a true miniature, forming a tight clump only 8-14 inches tall and 10-18 inches wide. Its narrow, bright green leaves radiate outward from the stem in a distinctive whorled pattern reminiscent of tiny palm fronds, creating a striking geometric, honeycomb-like look when viewed from above. It is slow-growing and slow-spreading, making it well suited to small gardens, containers, and detailed close-up plantings where the larger species would overwhelm the space. |
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Cons
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| Highlights | A true dwarf form of Palm Sedge with distinctive miniature palm-frond foliage arranged in a geometric, honeycomb-like whorl. Deer resistant, low-maintenance, and far more compact than the species, making it a favorite for containers and small gardens. |
Plant Data | |
| Mature Size | 8 - 14 inches tall. 10 - 18 inches wide. |
| Sun Exposure | Partial Shade - Full Sun |
| Moisture Tolerance | Medium - Wet: Prefers consistently moist to wet soil; the more sun it receives, the more moisture it needs. Tolerates shallow standing water (a few inches deep) but can also handle brief drier spells once established. |
| Zones | 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F) |
| Tags | Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Full Sun, Grasses, Medium, Nativar, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Pond, Rabbit Resistant, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant |
| Bloom Period | May to June |
| Foliage Color | Bright Green |
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Pricing and Availability HistoryClick a label to toggle visibility for that size
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Past Availability2025 : 08/10 - 08/232024 : 07/02 - 09/08 2023 : 08/02 - 09/10 |
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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!
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.
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.
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!
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!