The Leather leaf sedge is a dense clumping perennial comprised of orange-bronze colored blades that reach 2-3 ft. tall and have curly tips. This colorful plant from New Zealand is well suited to containers and border plantings. It is well adapted to sunny garden locations and is often mixed with flowering perennials to provide contrasting color and texture. It is also planted in bioswales and garden stream beds where it can receive regular moisture.
Leather leaf sedge
Carex buchananii
Description
Plant properties
Water needs
Maintenance
Plant Type: Grass, Sedge
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Compact, Clumping
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Bronze
Flower Color: Tan
Flower Season: Summer, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Moist soil, Loam, Clay
Exposure Adaptations: Morning sun, Heat, Frost, All day sun
Function: Container plant, Commercial spaces, Civic spaces, Borders, Banks, Small spaces, Residential spaces, Raised planters, Mass planting, Grouped, Foliage accent plant
Height: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
Width: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Compact, Clumping
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Bronze
Flower Color: Tan
Flower Season: Summer, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Moist soil, Loam, Clay
Exposure Adaptations: Morning sun, Heat, Frost, All day sun
Function: Container plant, Commercial spaces, Civic spaces, Borders, Banks, Small spaces, Residential spaces, Raised planters, Mass planting, Grouped, Foliage accent plant
Height: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
Width: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
The Leather leaf sedge grows throughout the Inland Empire with normal winter rainfall and moderate amounts of summer water. The chart shown below provides a recommended baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth throughout the average year. It should be noted there are several winter months marked by an asterisk (*) when rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. The high and low range of moisture indicates it can grow with varying amounts of water; higher amounts of water within this range will help this sedge maintain good foliage character year around.
Moderate Water Use Plants – Irrigation Schedule 3
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runs per Month | 0x to 3x | 0x to 3x | 0x to 3x | 2x to 3x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 2x to 3x | 0x to 3x | 0x to 3x |
Inches per Run | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ | 1″ |
Inches per Month | 0″ to 3″ | 0″ to 3″ | 0″ to 3″ | 2″ to 3″ | 1″ to 2″ | 1″ to 2″ | 1″ to 2″ | 1″ to 2″ | 1″ to 2″ | 2″ to 3″ | 0″ to 3″ | 0″ to 3″ |
Range of supplemental summer water: 9"-16"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-15"
0″-3″ |
0″-3″ |
0″-3″ |
2″-3″ |
1″-2″ |
1″-2″ |
1″-2″ |
1″-2″ |
1″-2″ |
2″-3″ |
0″-3″ |
0″-3″ |
|
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* |
For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.
Pull out old or dead leaves as needed. If desired, divide larger clumps with a sharp shovel in the spring (D).
References
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