Description of Carex grayi (Mace Sedge)

Carex grayi is mace sedge, grown for its spiky seed heads that look like little green clubs. It’s a clump-forming sedge for wet soil that keeps its shape well in a bog garden.

Appearance

It makes arching leaves and produces the distinctive seed heads from summer into autumn. The clump usually sits 60 to 90cm tall, with seed heads held on stiff stems above the foliage.

Care Guide

It likes steady moisture and a cool root run.

Sun: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: Moist to wet soil with organic matter.
Water: Keep consistently damp.
Tidy: Cut old foliage down in late winter.
Division: Divide in spring if clumps get too large.

Leave the seed heads on through winter, then tidy before new growth starts.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This suits bog gardens and damp borders as a mid-layer plant. Put it near a path so the seed heads can be seen close up.

It stays fairly well-behaved compared with running sedges.

FAQ

What makes Carex grayi different?
The seed heads are big, spiky, and very obvious from summer onwards.

How tall does it grow?
Usually 60 to 90cm.

Does it like wet soil?
Yes, it prefers consistently damp to wet ground.

Is it invasive?
No, it is generally clump-forming.