Thu–Fri 8–4 · Sat 8–2
Sun
Part sun
Water
Average
Height
6"–1.3'
Deer
Resistant
Zones
4–8
Zones 4–8Deer resistant

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.

Call to order
Pricing

Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup

1
30-day replacement promise
Reserve for nursery pickup
No payment online · we pull, you pay at pickup.
Pickup address
125 Clover Hill Lane
Woodville VA · 22749 · open in Maps
Next pickup days
  • Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
  • Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
  • Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Why we grow it

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.

What you're getting

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 this, not that

Plant eastern star sedge instead of Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis). Same job in the garden, without the spread.

Quick factsat a glance
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
How to grow it

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.