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Carex buchananii (Leatherleaf sedge)

Carex buchananii Photo/Illustration: Daryl Beyers

(Based on 2 user reviews)

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Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Botanical Name: Carex buchananii KARE-eks bew-kan-AN-ee-eye Common Name: Leatherleaf sedge Genus: Carex
Two-foot-tall, stiff, orange-brown blades curve at the end like a shepherd’s staff. Burnished red-bronze foliage, which fades to flax at the tips, gives off a warm glow when backlit by the sun.
 Noteworthy characteristics: Self-seeds modestly, and by the third year, the mother plant may die back.
 Care: Grow in fertile, moist or wet soil in sun or part shade.
 Propagation: Sow seed in containers and overwinter in a cold frame. Divide between spring and early summer.
 Problems: Rust, smut and leaf spot. Aphids are possible.
Height 1 ft. to 3 ft.
Spread 1 ft. to 3 ft.
Growth Habit Spreads
Growth Pace Slow Grower
Light Full Sun to Part Shade
Moisture Medium Moisture
Maintenance Low
Characteristics Self Seeds; Showy Foliage
Bloom Time Fall
Foliage Color Colorful/Burgundy Foliage
Flower Color Brown Flower
Uses Beds and Borders, Container, Naturalizing, Roadside
Style Rock Garden
Seasonal Interest Spring Interest, Summer Interest, Fall Interest
Type Rushes and Sedges

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