Clustered field sedge / Western meadow sedge

Carex praegracilis

Description

The Western meadow sedge is a dense perennial grass-like plant with narrow medium green leaves and delicate inflorescences that grow up to 2 in. long. It is native across most of North America, including much of California where it shows high adaptability to many soil types, moisture and temperature conditions.

Western meadow sedge is easy to grow in the Inland Empire where it quickly spreads by rhizomes to form dense plantings between 12-15 in. tall and with a windswept appearance. This species is used to create meadows as well as planted to serve as a lawn that can be mowed 3-4 in. tall. Good drainage and regular water helps achieve vigorous growth; it turns brown and becomes dormant during warm summer months without regular water. It is a cold tolerant species to temperatures below 10°F.

Plant Type: Ground cover, Grass, Sedge, Native
Foliage Character: Winter deciduous
Habit: Spreading, Dense
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Medium green
Flower Color: Tan
Flower Season: Summer, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Sand, Loam, Clay, Calcareous soil
Exposure Adaptations: Wind, Morning sun, Moderate shade, Heat, Fog, Cold hardy, All day sun
Function: Residential spaces, Raised planters, Parks and open space, Mass planting, Foliage accent plant, Commercial spaces, Small spaces, Civic spaces, Borders, Banks
Height: 12 in. – 15 in.
Width: 12 in. – 15 in.

Watering Schedule: Medium

For most situations, we recommend watering once per week after establishment, watering very deeply in summer, less deeply in fall and spring, and even less in winter.

See our recommendations for how much water to apply each time you water, below. Note that these recommendations are intended for inland valley areas of Southern California including the Inland Empire, San Gabriel, and San Fernando Valleys. People in cooler or warmer areas may use this as a baseline but should adjust based on local needs.

Learn how to provide 1” of water to your landscape here, and adjust to provide more or less based on the recommendations above for each time of year.

Seasonal Watering Recommendations

June – August: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 1.25” of irrigation.
September – October: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 0.75” of irrigation.
November – February: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 0.5” of irrigation.
March-May: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 0.75” of irrigation.

Learn how to provide 1” of water to your landscape here, and adjust to provide more or less based on the recommendations above for each time of year.

Adjusting to your local needs

These recommendations for Medium / Moderate water demanding plants were created for Southern California inland valley areas. Southern California areas closer to the coast and along the coast will usually be able to water significantly less during the warm months of the year. For desert areas, check with local experts to be sure plants are appropriate for the area and anticipate needing to water more.

As a very general baseline, people in Los Angeles and similar areas can try setting a schedule of 80% of the in Spring, Summer, and Fall and adjust as necessary based on observation. The difference is less pronounced in the winter months, so we recommend starting with the same recommendations as above for winter. People in cooler coastal areas such as Santa Monica can try using this same approach but adjust to use 75% of the chart recommended minutes for the Spring, Summer, and Fall months.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another week, possibly longer. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering again.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.
“Smart timers” or weather sensitive irrigation controllers such as Rachio and Hunter Hydrawise are ideal for watering plants in this category because they will automatically adjust how much they water based on the weather so you do not need to reprogram the timer seasonally. Rebates for these types of irrigation controllers are available through socalwatersmart.com.

Easiest to grow as a low, informal meadow, but can be mowed to maintain a 1.5″ to 3″ lawn if desired. Stays greener in summer with more water, and is easier to keep looking green in part shade or shade. With lower levels of water, leaves will dry out and turn “golden” in the summer, which can be attractive if it is considered in the planting design. If leaves are allowed to dry, cut back to a few inches in the fall before cool season growth begins. If not regularly mowing, but want to “tidy up” the planting mid year, cut back to 1.5″ to 3″ in the late spring or early summer (16, S). References