Eastern Star Sedge
Carex radiata
Fine blades radiate in a star pattern from each clump. A polite, slow-spreading ground layer for shaded paths and woodland gardens.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The radiating leaf pattern is genuinely distinctive, and the polite, non-aggressive spread makes it ideal as a woodland floor texture.
Eastern Star Sedge earns its name from the radiating arrangement of its leaf blades, which spread outward from the central clump in a star pattern visible when viewed from above. It's a delicate, low-growing woodland sedge: fine-textured, soft-green, and quietly lovely in the kind of way that reveals itself only when you're paying close attention. Use it as ground cover under deciduous trees, along shaded paths, or as a textural fill between stepping stones and larger woodland plants. It spreads slowly by stolons, gradually filling in between neighboring plants without overwhelming them. Unlike some of its more aggressive relatives, Eastern Star Sedge is a polite, well-behaved ground layer that earns its space through quiet beauty rather than vigorous spread. The tiny spring flower spikes are botanically interesting up close, adding fine detail to the ground layer in spring. The foliage holds its bright green color through summer in moist shade, fading to warm tan in fall.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown eastern star sedge propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant eastern star sedge instead of Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis). Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 6"–1.3' · 8–12 in wide
- USDA zones
- 4–8
- Family
- Cyperaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America, from New England south to Georgia and west to Kansas and Missouri
Care notes for eastern star sedge.
Plant in part to full shade in average to moist, well-drained soil. Tolerates dry shade once established. Trim lightly in early spring to refresh foliage. Slow to spread. plant 8–10 inches apart for ground cover effect. No fertilizer or irrigation needed after establishment in shaded conditions.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside eastern star sedge.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.

Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.

Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.

Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.