Eastern Narrowleaf Sedge

Year-round

Eastern narrowleaf sedge is a mounded perennial that likes moist soil in sun or part shade.

• Give it full sun or partial shade.
• Keep the soil moist.
• It forms a mound and is hardy in zones 3 to 9.
• It suits borders and bedding.

Fall

Fall is a calm time for this sedge.

• Keep the soil from drying out completely.
• The page gives no cutback advice, so leave the mound as is.

Winter

Winter needs nothing special because it is hardy well beyond Memphis winters.

• It is hardy in zones 3 to 9.
• The page gives no winter care steps.

Spring

Spring is a good time to plant, in moist soil.

• Plant in full sun or partial shade.
• Water to keep the soil moist.

Summer

Summer is when moist soil matters most.

• The page lists moist soil, so water during dry stretches.

Year-round

Eastern blue sedge, also called creek sedge, is a tidy clumping sedge that likes shade and steady moisture.

• It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall in a neat clump.
• It does best in part shade to shade with moist to wet soil.
• Full sun can work if the soil never dries out.
• Deer tend to leave it alone, and some skipper butterfly caterpillars feed on it.

A low, tidy clump that works as neat edging or a stand-in for liriope in a shaded front bed.

Fall

In fall the clump settles down and needs little from you.

• Foliage is semi-evergreen in warm climates, so Atlanta clumps may stay partly green.
• Keep an eye on soil moisture during dry fall stretches.
• Its foliage gives small wildlife some cover.
• Deer usually pass it by.

Winter

Winter is easy because this sedge is very cold hardy.

• It is hardy to USDA Zone 3, so Atlanta winters are not a problem.
• Sources vary on whether the leaves stay green or die back, and it depends on how cold the winter is.
• These sources call for no special winter protection.

Spring

Spring is when the sedge sets seed and the clumps fill in.

• Its small flowers are not showy, and the seed ripens in spring.
• Seedlings can pop up nearby, but it is not an aggressive self-seeder.
• Keep the soil moist in a part-shade spot.
• Pair it with woodland phlox or red columbine for a layered shade bed.

Summer

Summer heat is the main thing to watch, so keep the soil from drying out.

• In hot Atlanta summers, plan on extra watering, especially in sun or dry spots.
• Part shade to full shade keeps the leaves looking best.
• Moist to wet soil is what it prefers.
• Full sun is only worth trying if the soil does not dry out.