Leaf
Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Japanese sedge
Carex morrowii Boott
Also known as: Morrow's sedge
Family: Cyperaceae
20 to 40 cm tall
Planted in shaded borders and woodland, moist soils
Flowering: April – May, inconspicuous
Part shade
Shade
Hardy, to about -18°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Unlike most ornamental grasses, which need full sun, Japanese sedge thrives in shade — one of the few grass-like plants able to brighten a shaded border thanks to its foliage, often variegated with white or yellow.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, narrow, arching, often variegated with white or yellow depending on the variety
🌸 Flowers
Small inconspicuous spikes, of little ornamental value
🍎 Fruits
Small achene
🪵 Bark
Dense fan-shaped herbaceous tuft
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Japan; widely grown in France as shaded ground cover
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous flowers, of little interest to pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Woodland grass-like plant and evergreen ground cover, valued for its variegated foliage that brightens shaded areas all year round
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known
🌿 Other Cyperaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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