Carex testacea aka Orange New Zealand Sedge

Carex testacea is an evergreen sedge native to New Zealand. It belongs to the sedge family, Cyperaceae. This perennial forms a tuft of fine, arching leaves. Its low, rounded mound has a soft, flowing shape. The leaves give it garden interest through summer and winter.

The RHS describes plants about 1.3–2 feet (0.4–0.6 metres) tall. Its listed garden size reaches 3.3 feet (1 metre) tall and wide. The narrow leaves change colour with light and season. In full sun, they take on bronze and orange tones. Partial shade brings out more olive green. The RHS describes olive summer leaves turning copper-orange in winter. Small flowers and seed spikes add little to the display. Chicago Botanic Garden lists green flowers from September to October. The RHS describes brown flowers whose stems bend down with age.

Grow this sedge in full sun or partial shade. Choose a sheltered site with fertile soil that drains well. It accepts chalk, clay, loam, and sand. Acid, neutral, and alkaline soils all suit it. Moist soil suits the plant, but avoid prolonged winter wet. The RHS also advises against extremes of wet and dry. Chicago Botanic Garden describes some drought tolerance and moderate water needs. The RHS gives it a UK hardiness rating of H5. Chicago lists USDA zones 7–10, but notes it lacks hardiness there. Plants reach their full size in about two to five years.

Use its mound of coloured leaves in beds and borders. It also suits pots, gravel gardens, and coastal planting schemes. The RHS lists banks, slopes, and ground cover among its uses. It can fit informal gardens and prairie-style planting. Chicago Botanic Garden suggests it for summer pots and specimen planting. That source also lists resistance to deer. Its lasting foliage provides interest when flowers play little part.

Care is simple where soil and drainage suit the plant. Remove dead leaves in summer to keep the clump tidy. Sow seed in pots in a cold frame during spring. You can also divide plants in early summer. Aphids may attack, though the RHS reports few disease problems. Plants may seed themselves in warmer climates, according to Chicago Botanic Garden. The supplied sources give no information on edible uses or toxicity.