Fine-textured sedge that forms small and dense dark green clumps with a tidy appearance. Grass-like leaves are taller than the inconspicuous flowering structures. Nearly evergreen, staying green well into winter.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
James’ Sedge
Carex jamesii
Plant Type: Grasses / Sedges / Rushes
Native Environment: Forest, Savanna / Woodland
Season of Interest: Early (Feb - Apr), Mid (May - June), Late (July - frost)
Main Color: Green
Fall Color:
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

Photo: Elliott Duemler/Taylor Creek Restoration Nurseries

Sun Exposure
Medium Sun/Average Shade

Soil
Moisture
Moderate

Nature Attracting
Songbirds

Wildlife Benefit
Food/Birds

Animal
Resistance
Size
Height:
6 to
10
inches
Spread:
10 to
12
inches
Size
Height: 6 to
10
inches
Spread: 10 to
12
inches
Size
Height: 6 to
10
inches
Spread: 10 to
12
inches
Typical Landscape Use
Can be utilized as a tidy ground cover that will grow beneath trees. A possible alternative to the non-native _Liriope spicata_, which its appearance is said to resemble.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Allowed to self-spread by seed, will form a turf-like planting where conditions are favorable. In the late season, foliage is susceptible to rust that may be exacerbated by overhead irrigation.
Special Features
Special Usage
Ground Cover
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
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What’s the Next Step?
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Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.