Carex ‘Blue Cascade’

Carex 'Blue Cascade' (Carex flacca 'Blue Cascade') is a blue grey spreading sedge that does the work of a lawn in places a lawn will not go. It grows about 30cm tall and 60cm wide, arching into a soft mat, and takes full sun or part shade. Unusually, it copes with wet feet and with dry spells, which makes it one of the more forgiving strappy plants we sell.

Why you'll love it

• Blue grey foliage all year. Evergreen, fine textured and cool toned, so it lifts the green in a bed without needing flowers.
• Wet or dry, it copes. Wet feet tolerant and drought tolerant is a rare pairing, and it makes this a sound pick for a bed that swings between the two.
• Pet friendly. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits a garden where animals push through the planting.
• Frost hardy, salt tolerant, no mowing. Cold southern gardens and exposed coastal blocks both suit it, and it needs cutting back once a year at most.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart. At that spacing the clumps knit into a continuous blue grey sweep within two seasons and shade out most weeds.

Borders and edging. A single row at 40cm softens the line of a path, and the arching habit spills over an edge without obscuring it.

Pots and retaining walls. The cascading form is made for the top of a wall or the rim of a container, where the foliage can hang rather than sit upright.

Growing Carex Blue Cascade in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. Sun gives the strongest blue tone, shade gives longer and softer growth. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, so Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and the southern tablelands all work well. In the humid subtropics and tropics it is less reliable, coming from cooler European ground.

Soil. Adaptable. It sits happily in soil that stays damp, including the low corner of a bed, and it also takes ordinary free draining garden soil. Improve very sandy ground with compost.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then as needed. Established plants tolerate dry spells but look better for an occasional deep soak. A light complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it asks for.

Pruning. Shear the whole planting back to about 10cm in late winter, before new growth starts. The plants refresh within a few weeks. Avoid cutting in midsummer, since the old leaves shade the crowns.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: tube stock, currently listed on backorder, and 140mm plants in packs of ten. Check the product page for tube availability. The 140mm packs are the practical option for a mass planting, since ten plants cover roughly 1.6 square metres at 40cm spacing.

Grasses and sedges travel well, and folded foliage on arrival is cosmetic. Trim damaged leaf tips, plant at the same depth as the pot, and water in. Expect new growth within three to four weeks in the growing season, and a closed mat by the second summer. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to designing with ornamental grasses.
• Browse grasses and strappy leaf plants.
• Plants safe for pets for the rest of a pet friendly garden.
• Groundcover plants for wider areas.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart for a dense groundcover. For an edging row you can stretch to 50cm, which still closes over but uses fewer plants.

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

Yes. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, which is why it is a common choice for gardens where pets run through the planting.

Will it grow in a wet spot?

Yes. It tolerates wet feet, so a low corner or a swale that holds water after rain suits it. It also handles dry spells once established, which is what makes it so useful.