Carex muskingumensis ‘Little Midge’

Dwarf Palm Sedge Cyperaceae

A wonderfully diminutive version of the North American Palm Sedge, ‘Little Midge’ looks as though someone has put the species through a horticultural shrink ray. It forms neat, rounded clumps of bright green, palm-like foliage, each slender leaf arranged horizontally around the upright stems to create an unusually geometric texture. Unlike many dwarf selections, everything is proportionally miniature, giving it a refinement all its own. Selected in Pennsylvania by horticulturist Norm Hooven of Limerock Nursery, it is a slow-spreading, clump-forming plant that gradually makes a useful low groundcover without becoming invasive. Naturally associated with swampy and wet habitats, it is happiest in moist soil, but is surprisingly adaptable and can tolerate drier conditions once established, particularly in shade. Excellent around ponds, in rain gardens, woodland planting, containers or anywhere a small sedge with an outsized personality is required.

Cultivar origin: Selected by Norm Hooven, Limerock Nursery, Pennsylvania, USA.
Flowering: June–July
Hardiness: H7, below −20°C
Height: 15–25 cm
Spread: 30–45 cm