Carex meyenii
Genus
Carex
Species
meyenii
Common Names
- Meyen's carex
- Meyen's sedge
Synonyms
- Carex brunnea
- Carex brunnea subsp. meyenii
- Carex remyi
Distribution Status
Indigenous
Endangered Species Status
No Status
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Non-Woody, Clumping
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Grass-like, Tall, Greater than or equal to 2.5
Mature Size, Width
This sedge has a 2-foot spread.
Life Span
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Landscape Uses
- Accent
- Container
- Ground Cover
Additional Landscape Use Information
Carex of several species have been used as ornamental additions in landscapes on the mainland for the interesting, sometimes colorful, foliage and seedheads. A few species are now in cultivation in Hawaiʻi.
Meyen's sedge can be used as a nice accent in landscapes under tall shrubs or trees in full to part sun locations. This thin leaved sedge makes an attractive groundcover when planted en masse.
Source of Fragrance
- No Fragrance
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Type
Not Showy
Flower Colors
- Brownish
Additional Flower Color Information
Plants have 2 to 3 yellowish brown flowers per branch.
Blooming Period
- Year Round
- Sporadic
Plant texture
- Coarse
Additional Plant Texture Information
Leaves range from 12 to 28 inches long.
Leaf Colors
- Dark Green
Additional Leaf Color Information
Meyen's sedge has numerous folded, stiff, narrow, sharp-teethed leaves with brown to dark brown sheaths.
Additional Pest & Disease Information
Plants can attract ants, scale, thrips, mealy bugs and aphids.
Fertilizer
Light applications of a balanced slow release fertilize with minor elements every six months is suggested. Foliar feeding in early morning with a water-soluble or an organic fertilizer (e.g. kelp or fish emulsion) at one-third to one-fourth the recommended strength monthly has proven beneficial. [David Eickhoff, Native Plants Hawaiʻi]
Pruning Information
May need to occasionally to remove spent leaves and seeding spikes for a clean landscape appearance. Trimming flower spikes prolongs the plant's life but also removes a nice feature of this sedge. [David Eickhoff, Native Plants Hawaiʻi]
Water Requirements
- Dry
Additional Water Information
Meyen's sedge tolerates both dry and moist conditions.
Soil must be well drained
Yes
Light Conditions
- Full sun
- Partial sun
Spacing Information
For a thick ground cover, this sedge can be planted every 1 to 2 feet apart or, for a more natural appearance, may be randomly planted farther apart.
Tolerances
- Drought
- Wind
Soils
- Clay
- Cinder
- Organic
Limitations
Plant leaves have sharp teeth along the edges. As the saying goes, "sedges have edges."
Natural Range
- Niʻihau
- Kauaʻi
- Oʻahu
- Molokaʻi
- Lānaʻi
- Maui
- Kahoʻolawe
- Hawaiʻi
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- 150 to 1000, 0 to 50 (Dry)
- 1000 to 1999, 0 to 50 (Dry)
Habitat
- Terrestrial
Additional Habitat Information
Meyen's sedge was known to be formerly from Kahoʻolawe, but is now extinct there. It is known to grow in dry and mesic forests, especially on slopes and ridges.
Special Features and Information
General Information
There are about 2,000 species of Carex worldwide, more than any other genus in the Sedge family or Cyperaceae. Half of the eight species of Carex native to the Hawaiian islands are endemic or naturally found nowhere else.
Etymology
The generic name Carex is the classical Latin name for sedge, pehaps from carere, to be absent, as the upper spikes are staminate (male) and do not produce seeds.
The specific epithet meyenii was named after Franz Julius Ferdinand Meyen (1804-1840), a German physician and botanist.
Early Hawaiian Use
None of the eight native species appear to have any known Hawaiian names. Certainly the people knew these of interesting sedges and perhaps had uses for them.
Additional References
PHOTOS FOR THIS SPECIES CAN BE SEEN AT THE LINK (Copy & Paste to your browser):
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=50823119%40N08&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=Carex%20meyenii
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