Water Wise Plants

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Carex divulsa

Pronunciation

KARE-eks dee-VOOL-sah

Common Name

Foothill Sedge

Plant Type

Grass

Mature Size

2 ft. tall and 1 ft. wide

Water Requirements

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Sun/Shade Requirements

Full to half sun, shade

Wildlife

Flower Color

No flowers

Maintenance- Design- Planting Tips

Foothill sedge makes a lovely informal ground cover in shady areas. With occasional watering, this plant stays green over the entire summer. It will survive full sun but can begin to look ratty in the summer.

This plant was once considered a California native, but that has recently been disproven. The new name is Carex divulsa, but it may still be sold in nurseries as Carex tumulicola.

PADG notes: At the end of winter, many people cut this plant back to several inches above the ground, but that has not been necessary at the demonstration garden. Because plants are in the shade, they don’t become tattered. Reseeding has also not been a problem, probably because of extensive bark mulch and drip irrigation in the water wise garden.

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