Carex muskingumensis ‘Oehme’

 Palm Sedge Cyperaceae

A sedge with an almost tropical appearance, without requiring a tropical climate — Carex muskingumensis ‘Oehme’ forms upright, triangular stems surrounded by whorls of glossy green leaves, each arranged horizontally like miniature palm fronds. Narrow golden-yellow margins develop along the leaves as the season progresses, catching the light beautifully and giving the plant an unusually bright, architectural quality. This remarkable sport was discovered in the garden of the celebrated landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme, who subsequently asked Plant Delights Nursery to introduce it in 1994. It forms a slowly spreading, clump-like colony rather than an aggressive runner and is particularly effective beside ponds, streams and paths, or planted en masse as a groundcover. Naturally a plant of wet North American woodlands and floodplains, it appreciates moist to wet soil, although it becomes surprisingly drought tolerant once established. Equally happy in sun or partial shade, it is a sedge with considerably more personality than the average groundcover.

Cultivar origin: Sport discovered by Wolfgang Oehme in his garden; introduced by Plant Delights Nursery in 1994.
Flowering: June–July
Hardiness: H7, below −20°C
Height: 50–75 cm
Spread: 40–60 cm