This is one part in a weekly series featuring UC Davis Community Favorites, 75 can't-fail, easy-care plants well-adapted to our region and recommended by gardeners.
Grassland sedge
Carex divulsa
Size: Under 2 feet tall
Bloom season: Spring
Exposure: Full sun to full shade
Pruning needs: Little or none; mow or cut back to renew, about once or twice a year.
Water needs: Once established, water deeply once a week.
Snapshot: Looking for an alternative to lawn? This pretty sedge offers a lot of green with little work. Very adaptable to soils and situations, this grass is equally at home in full sun or shade, making it a good choice for areas under trees or where lawns usually fail. It can tolerate a little foot traffic and occasional mowing, too. Sedge also works well in borders. To propagate, divide clumps in spring. You can see specimens in the Mary Wattis Brown Garden of California native plants on the UC Davis campus.
Why it's a Favorite: "Moist shade to dry sun; it makes no difference to the success of this charming sedge," said arboretum volunteer Dorothy Yerxa. "Remember: Sedges have edges! This one also has bronze flowers in spring."
For more on the Community Favorites and Arboretum All-Stars, click on arboretum.ucdavis.edu
See a photo gallery of the Community Favorites at http://www.sacbee.com/community-favorites.html
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