Evercolor Series Japanese sedge
Story and Photos by Hubert P. Conlon
whatgrowsthere.com
Indigenous to the dry woodlands and rocky slopes around Honshu Island in Japan, variegated sedges have been greatly improved. The Evercolor series, the result of breeding efforts at Fitzgerald Nurseries in Kilkenny, Ireland, is a collection of six varieties that are evergreen in most areas of Tennessee.
The grass-like mounds measure 12-24 inches tall and wide. The slender leaf blades are typically 16 inches long and less than ½ inch wide. The foliage colors are richer in partial shade than in sun. Evercolor sedges make excellent ground covers, bedding, or specimen plants. Billowy fountains of finely textured, variegated foliage spill over edges of walkways, garden borders, or the edges of containers.
No serious insect or disease problems trouble these sedges and they’re deer resistant. Plants spread slowly by rhizomes. At start of spring, trim back old growth and divide clumps if desired.
Quick Facts and Keys to Success
Common Name: Evercolor series Japanese sedge
Botanical Name: Carex oshimensis
Varieties/cultivars:
• ‘Everillo’ – Cascading mound of lime green leaves that deepen to yellow gold in late summer.
• ‘Everest’ – Fountain of green center, snow-white edged foliage (vigorous sport of cultivar ‘Evergold’).
• ‘Everlime’ – Leaf blades with deep green centers flanked by lime green margins.
• ‘Eversheen’ – A neat flowing mound of distinctive lime-yellow-striped foliage.
• ‘Everoro’ – Lime-green spring/summer foliage that turns golden yellow later in the year.
• ‘Everlite’ – Rich green leaf blade edges with broad white center stripe.
Size: 12-24 inches tall, 18-24 inches wide (depending on cultivar)
Type: Perennial ornamental sedge for lightly shaded areas
Foliage: Fine-textured variegated long grass-like leaf blades
Flowering: Brownish flower spikes form on triangular stems in late spring and are insignificant in mid-summer.
Exposure: Semi-shade to full sun
When to Plant: Spring through midsummer to allow time for plants to establish their roots before winter.
Soil: Humus-rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
Water: Tolerates moist to dry locations; water well following planting and regularly until established their first year.
When to Prune: In late winter clip back (mow) last year’s clumps a few inches above ground.
When To Fertilize: Feed lightly in spring with granular 10-10-10 or equivalent fertilizer or water-soluble fertilizer two or three times during the spring and summer.
In the Landscape: Space plants 10 inches apart. Group or mass as a ground cover as edging along walkways, specimen plant in woodland, rock gardens, or containers; sedges thrive in low-moisture areas such as along the edge of a stream or pond.