Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

A species of sedge known by the common name San Diego sedge. It is native to the southwestern United States and far northern Mexico, where it grows in wet places, sometimes on serpentine soils. This sedge looks somewhat like a cattail. It produces angled stems easily exceeding a meter in height surrounded by leathery grey-green to reddish-green leaves (if drought stressed) up to about 1.2 meters long. The flower cluster is up to 80 centimeters long, with many long reddish brown flower spikes, each holding up to 300 developing fruits.


This is a easy and fast growing plant for full sun and heavy, moist soils. In even part shade, it tends to get weedy and unattractive. Needs plenty of water, so best to grow this in a sunny spot along a creek, seep or other naturally moist area, or in a regularly irrigated area.

Plant type

Grass

Size

2 - 4 ft Tall
2 - 4 ft Wide

Form

Fountain

Growth rate

Fast

Dormancy

Evergreen

Fragrance

None

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow, Green, Brown

Special uses

Containers, Deer resistant, Groundcover

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low, Moderate

Summer irrigation

Max 1x / week once established

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to -10 - 0° F

Soil drainage

Slow

Soil description

It is said to have a strong affinity to serpentine soils but is also found in other soil types. Tolerates serpentine soil..
Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.5

Sunset Zones

7*, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 19, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Site type

Wet places

Plant communities

Bogs, Freshwater Marsh, Riparian Woodland, Southern Oak Woodland

Seep Monkeyflower, Cardinal Monkeyflower, Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica), Hedge Nettle, and Juncus spp.

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

1 confirmed and 4 likely

Confirmed Likely

Umber Skipper

Poanes melane

Common Ringlet

Coenonympha tullia

Olive Green Cutworm Moth

Dargida procinctus

Elachista cucullata