Carex Muskingumensis
Carex Muskingumensis, named after the Muskingum river in Ohio and commonly called palm sedge is a semi-evergreen, clump-forming sedge native to western regions of North America. It is grown for its boastful tapering bright green foliage grass-like leaves that are about 8 inches long and somewhat resemble the leaflets of a palm frond. The leaves radiate from the top of rigid stems about 20 inches in length. Often grown as an ornamental grass
These beautiful leaves change colours with the season. In spring when they’re growing, they are golden brown and hold this colour through the summer season, before turning to copper colour in autumn and finally going dormant in winter. Late in the spring, they produce inconspicuous flower spikes between the foliage that lasts through the summer.
Oftentimes, they are found in wooded flood plains, wooded swamps, and hence is a great choice for water gardens, wetland, gardens, or used as a ground cover. Lastly, they serve as a food source for several species of birds.
Description of Carex Muskingumensis
They are called sedges because the leaves and stems have sharp edges. They are slow-growing plants that will spread by rhizomes and self-feeding to about 2 to 3 feet tall and 60 to 90 cm wide.
How To Grow And Care For Carex Muskingumensis
Carex Muskingumensis is a low-maintenance plant that is easy to grow. Propagation can be done by seed, cuttings, or division of clumps.
Propagating and growing Carex Muskingumensis from seed
To begin propagating Carex Muskingumensis from seed, clear the planting site from weeds and other shrubs that might compete for soil nutrients. Next, plant the seeds just below the surface of moist soil, but not wet. The temperature around the planting side should be about 20 degrees celsius but after germination, it should be moved to a cooler environment.
Sowing of seeds should be done early in spring or late in autumn and germination will occur after 6 to 10 weeks.
Carex Muskingumensis Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings should be taken in autumn.
Requirements for Carex Muskingumensis
- Soil: This plant thrives in moist to wet organically rich soil. Soil types like chalk, sand, clay or loamy soil are ideal. Alternatively, it can also be grown in shallow water. The solid should also be well-draining and can be acid, alkaline, or neutral.
- Light: It is best when grown in full sun. 6 to 8 hours of daily sunlight exposure is great and it can as well tolerate partial shade. West-facing, south-facing, or east-facing is an ideal position.
- Water: It needs a lot of water to grow successfully. The topsoil should be kept consistently moist to soggy and should not be allowed to dry in between watering periods.
- Pruning: It does not require any form of pruning but to protect it from harsh winds and frost you should cut it to the ground during winter. Don’t worry, your plant will grow out new and fresh in the next growing season.
- Insects and diseases: because of its flowers, butterflies, moths, songbirds, and other pollinators are attracted to it. It is deer resistant and other harmful insects and plant diseases are rare with this species.
It will surprise you that though this plant is a water lover, it is also drought resistant. It is an attractive accent plant and looks great when used as side borders along walking paths, flower beds and borders, pond borders, boggy gardens, etc. A beautiful architectural plant you can use either outdoors in your garden or as a container plant indoors, on terraces, or on your patio.
Where to buy Charex Muskingumensis in the UK?
