Description of Carex Acutiformis (Slender Sedge)

Carex acutiformis is lesser pond sedge, sometimes sold as slender sedge. It’s a tall native sedge for saturated ground and pond edges, great for adding strong vertical foliage in a natural bog garden.

Appearance

It forms dense clumps of narrow leaves and produces brown flower spikes on stiff stems in summer. It can reach 1 to 1.5m tall, especially in fertile wet soil.

Care Guide

It enjoys wet feet and copes with heavy clay. It also handles shallow water around the base.

• Sun: Full sun to part shade.
• Soil: Wet soil, clay, or aquatic compost in a basket.
• Water: Keep saturated. Shallow margins are fine.
• Tidy: Comb out dead leaves in spring or cut back ragged growth.
• Division: Split big clumps in spring if needed.

In small beds, keep it as a single clump rather than letting it bulk up into a wall.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This suits bog gardens and pond edges where you want height and structure. It’s useful at the back of the bed to frame flowers in front.

It also stabilises edges in wildlife ponds.

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