Best Native Grasses to Use in Landscaping

Carex Pensylvanica - 10 Pack

Why Carex Pensylvanica is the Perfect Ground Cover for Your Garden Carex Pensylvanica plant, is a perennial plant with a grass-like appearance that belongs to the Cypercae family and is found throughout Eastern woodland locations of the Northern Hemisphere. Flowers tend to bloom in the later Spring months and the staminate scales of the Pennsylvania sedge are often green with slight purplish hue. The pistillate scales maintain a deep brown to light black color with white around the edges. Leaves of the Sedge are sharp, are the edges of it's stems. The Carex Pensylvanica grows best in USDA Growing Zones 3 – 8 and reaches a maximum height of between 15-30 centimeters. Typically, the sedge blooms in late Spring months and the plant is best grown in dry soil with ample shade. Colonies of Pennsylvania Sedge grow as far North as Quebec and as far south as Mississippi. There is currently a large population of it growing along the Missouri River in the surrounding dry forests and on the ledges of the overlooking bluffs. The roots are typically light brown to dark red, and colonies grow in bunches of up to 21 centimeters in height. In ideal growing conditions, the sedge is self-seeding.  Caring for Carex Pensylvanica Tips for Healthy Growth It is a native grass or wheat that grows well in zones 4-8. It grows 8-10 inches in height and makes a good ground cover. It mixes well with other plants. It grows well in full shade or partial sun. It is drought tolerant and needs moisture to thrive. It grows best in well drained soil. It grows well as a ground cover under trees and shady areas. It goes well in shade gardens with other shade plants. When planted it should be spread about 10 inches apart. It can be grown in full sun too. Best to plant roots in fall or early spring in April or May. Transform Your Landscape with the Versatility of Carex Pensylvanica It is a native grass or wheat that grows well in full shade. It grows 8-10 inches in height and makes a good ground cover. It mixes well with other plants. It grows well in dry soil. It is drought tolerant and needs moisture to thrive. Carex Pensylvanica grows well as a ground cover under trees and shady areas. It goes well in shade gardens with other shade plants. When planted it should be spread about 10 inches apart. It can be grown in full sun too. Best to plant roots in fall or early spring in April or May.

Pennsylvania Sedge - 10 Pack

Benefits of Pennsylvania Sedge for Low-Maintenance Landscaping Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is a versatile, low-maintenance native grass-like plant commonly used in landscaping for ground cover and erosion control. It is clumped, low-growing grass-like, and pale green foliage leaves with brown seed capsules. It is a drought-tolerant plant that forms good lawns. It makes a loveable ground cover that requires little or no mowing. How to Care for Pennsylvania Sedge in Your Garden  The growth and development of sedge plants are based on many factors, such as hardy planting zones, blooming season and color, heights at maturity, and soil types preferred. The sedge plant requires a half-sun, a half-shade, or even a full shade on its hardiness to survive in mild climatic conditions. This species tolerates drier conditions where it can endure low water supply. It performs best during cold summer nights, providing relief from the heat. This plant requires shade during hot summer and does well on moist soils. Pennsylvania Sedge blooms in May, June, and July, respectively, during the year for its carex to mature into fruiting. The leaf arrangement is alternated with a simple, linear, parallel venation. During the flowering season, it blooms in flower color of brown seeded capsules on expanded buds. Uses in Landscaping Shade Gardens: Ideal for shaded areas where traditional grasses may not thrive. Ground Cover: Perfect for under trees, along woodland edges, and in naturalized settings. Lawns: Can be used as an alternative to traditional turf grass in low-traffic areas. Why Pennsylvania Sedge is Perfect for Ground Cover and Erosion Control The maturity height of Pennsylvania Sedge is 6-12 inches tall and 6-12 inches wide. Thus, it takes a slow growth rate, ensuring that each section has roots and leaves by which they propagate by division into mature plants. Soil Type Preferably, light-textured soils that offer good water drainages and retention, such as sandy soil that always maintains a moist environment, are recommended. These features ensure that plants stay dry and grow on clean grounds. This leads to its constant ever-green foliage during all the seasons. This offers a soft, graceful environment covering creeping foliage that is attractive and fine-textured in the garden lawns and compounds.  It should not be left in deep shade for more than 2 hours. It requires about 6 hours or more daily in full sun/natural sunlight.

Bulrush

Benefits of Planting Bulrush in Your Garden or Landscape The bulrush is a hardy perennial plant that produces fibrous roots that make it great for land cover. It is native to North America and is part of the grass family. It is predominantly found in Newfoundland, Manitoba, and the northeast and mid-west regions of the United States. An aggressive grower is hard to contain in a manicured lawn environment. It is durable and often used in ground restoration projects such as wetlands and soggy areas with erosion problems. How to Care for Bulrush Tips for Thriving Wetland Plants The culm of the bulrush plant flourishes to produce an abundant number of umbels at the end of its long blades. These culms are the above-ground stems resembling a stalk, usually olive-green. The umbels become fertile in summer and top the plant in a brownish-gold wheat-colored cluster. The clusters are composed of small spikelets. The spikelets mature during autumn and turn dark chocolate brown, which then appear to look like starry clusters. The many displayed seeds last until the end of the fruiting season, which runs from July through August. Why Bulrush is the Perfect Choice for Erosion Control and Water Gardens At maturity, the plant can grow to an average of 3 to 5 feet. Also, they can have a 2 to 4-foot spread. It prefers cooler, crisper air to grow in the spring and fall seasons. After harvest, the regrowth rate is slow. It has a lengthy lifespan but has a low tolerance to drought conditions. It adapts well to fine and medium-textured soils and requires a pH of 4.0 to 8.0. It grows and develops well in wet, moist soil types. It thrives in wetland areas, marshes, bogs, swamp lands, and flood plains. It grows along the sides of creek beds and rivers. It is a durable plant but does not grow well in shade. The Green Bulrush has been valuable in restoration projects and erosion control.