Green leaves run through with a bright yellow stripe down the centre, gathered into low upright mounds barely eight inches high: that is Oshima sedge (Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’). It carpets flower beds, edges walkways and fills garden boxes, and as long as the soil drains very well it keeps that foliage all year.
| Botanical name | Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’ or Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ |
|---|---|
| Common name | Oshima sedge |
| Family | Cyperaceae |
| Type | Grass |
| Bearing | Upright mound |
| Height | 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) |
| Planting density | 8 to 10 plants per sq. yard (m²) |
| Exposure | Sun or part sun |
| Soil | Any type, as long as well drained |
| Flowering | In spring, but it’s rare |
Carex hachijoensis comes to us from Japan. Green leaves marked with a bright yellow stripe down the center make this grassy plant an uncommon and striking option to add brightness to your flower beds.
Oshima sedge loves all types of soil, the only condition is that it must drain very well and contain lots of humus.
Before planting your Carex, take great care to add a layer of draining material at the bottom of the hole you dug out, especially if soil in the area tends to retain water too much. There are many ways to accomplish this: pozzolana, clay pebbles, gravel etc.
Also, enrich the soil with either compost, nutritious soil mix, or animal manure.
Avoid planting Oshima sedge in hollows where rainwater collects, as it grows best in well-drained soil and dislikes waterlogged roots over winter; site it on a slope or improve drainage first.
Once planted, Carex hachijoensis doesn’t require anything specific in terms of care. Unlike a number of other grasses that require cutting back at the beginning of Spring, Carex hachijoensis will keep its beautiful foliage all year long.
Quite the hardy one – it can take on temperatures in the single digits Fahrenheit (-15° Celsius) – you won’t need to protect it in Winter.
Carex hachijoensis can be propagated through sowing. However, since the blooming is very rare, it’s easier to pursue the clump division technique to split each clump into several more Carex. It’s an easy method to master.
C. hachijoensis isn’t vulnerable to diseases. However, you’ll likely encounter aphids. They typically gather at the base of each stem and, in the long run, weaken the plant.
The yellow-striped foliage of Oshima sedge shows best beside plants with sombre or strongly coloured leaves. Here are the partners named in this article and the contrast each one brings.
| Partner plant | Foliage colour | Effect beside ‘Evergold’ |
|---|---|---|
| Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ | Near-black | Strongest contrast with the bright central stripe |
| Heuchera micrantha ‘Palace Purple’ | Deep purple | Broad dark leaves against fine striped blades |
| Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’ | Crimson | Warm red beside yellow, grass to grass |
| Festuca glauca | Steel-blue | Cool blue mound echoing the sedge’s habit |
Combining them creates interesting patterns, with each plant bolstering the beauty of the others quite naturally.
Carex hachijoensis is one of the most versatile grasses: cover the ground in a flower bed, wind it along walkway edges, or pair it with bloomers in a garden box. As for Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’ in pots or garden boxes, ensure that the soil always remains a bit damp but never wet.
The bright color of its leafage will visually pair very well with darker-leaved plants, such as Ophiopogon planiscapsus ‘Nigrescens’, Heuchera micranta ‘Palace purple’, crimson-colored Imperata cylindrica ‘Red baron’, steel-blue Festuca glauca, etc. Not only will this generate interesting patterns in your garden, but plants will be bolstering each other’s beauty completely naturally!
Of course, this is a plant that looks strikingly similar to Chlorophytum and to a special Dracaena marginata variety, the ‘Ray of Sunshine’ (the ‘Kiwi’ is also similar). Set one or the other at a distance to make onlookers wonder, “Is it grass? Is it a shrub?”… leaving them joyfully bewildered!
There’s no need to “shave” this grassy plant, unlike most other ones. It’ll stay beautiful throughout winter, too!
