Carex testacea: Orange Sedge

Striking orange sedge

Ornamental grass is one of our favorite cool weather accents—slender, pointy blades rising up out of a bed and swishing in the breeze convey the feeling that autumn is in the air. This year we have a striking orange sedge that bumps up the harvest-time vibe in the landscape with its rich shades of orange and coppery brown.

Now, this plant actually starts out olive green and takes on orange and bronze highlights as the weather cools, if it’s planted in full sun. Notice the neat, rounded clump and the graceful, cascading nature of the leaves—our radiant orange sedge makes a thrilling focal point. In addition, the coppery tones bring a sense of warmth to a design, as well as great contrast when paired with bright green or dark burgundy foliage, such as our décor lettuces or ‘Bull’s Blood’ beets.

Mixes with anything

We rely on grasses like this pretty orange sedge to keep us in color right through to the end of the season. Carex testacea is also low maintenance so we consider it, along with our other cool weather ornamental grasses, to be one of our most valuable design tools. 

This selection is available in the one-gallon pot.