Seersucker Sedge

Carex plantaginea

Seersucker Sedge has the most distinctive foliage of any native sedge. broad, strap-like blades up to an inch wide with a conspicuously puckered, seersucker-like texture that catches light differently from any angle. It's the kind of plant that makes botanically inclined visitors crouch down for a closer look. Deep, rich green and semi-evergreen, the broad leaves provide a dramatic textural contrast to the fine-bladed sedges and ferns that typically share its woodland habitat. It prefers rich, moist, shaded conditions. the kind of deep woodland soil found in a mature deciduous forest. In those conditions it spreads slowly and reliably, making an excellent companion for Maidenhair Fern, Wild Ginger, and spring ephemerals. The early spring flower spikes are also distinctive. upright, dark-colored, and held above the foliage on leafless stems before most other plants have fully emerged. Not the right choice for dry or sunny sites, but in a shaded rain garden margin or moist woodland bed, it's one of the most visually interesting ground-layer natives you can plant.