Bristle-Leaved Sedge (Carex eburnea)
KARE-ex eburnea

Deciduous Perennial Tufted, Clump-Forming in the Cyperaceae Family
A delicate, fine-textured sedge for dry shade, with persistent fruit that often lasts into winter.

Carex eburnea (Bristle-Leaved Sedge, also called Ivory Sedge) is a delicate, fine-textured sedge forming small tufted clumps 6-12 inches tall, often colonizing slowly by slender rhizomes. It is naturally found on shady limestone bluffs, in conifer and mixed forests, cedar thickets, and dunes, tolerating dry to moist sandy or rocky soil. Creamy-yellow and white flower spikes appear in early spring, followed by fruit that turns glossy brown-black and often persists on the plant into fall or winter.

Pros

  • Fine, delicate texture for dry shade plantings
  • Tolerates rocky, sandy, and average soils
  • Persistent fruit provides late-season interest
  • Deer and rabbit resistant

Cons

  • Slow to establish and spread
  • Not suited to consistently wet soils
Why Like

A delicate native sedge adapted to one of the toughest garden sites: dry shade over rocky or sandy soil. It slowly forms self-sustaining colonies via rhizomes, asks for very little once established, and its persistent fruit offers subtle interest into the colder months. Deer and rabbits generally leave it alone.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 12 inches tall. 6 - 12 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Partial Shade
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 2a - 8b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Dry, Full Shade, Grasses, Medium, Partial Shade, Perennial, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period April
Flower Color Cream, White
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 09/20
2024 : 06/12 - 09/21

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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.


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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!