orange karaihe

Carex testacea | orange karaihe, speckled sedge, trip me up

 

A graceful, sedge its fine, arching foliage shifts from olive green to glowing orange tones, especially in cooler months, offering year-round colour and interest. Forming neat, tussock-like clumps, its slender leaves move beautifully with the breeze, bringing texture and motion to planting schemes. Adaptable and low-maintenance, thriving in full sun for its best colour but tolerating partial shade. It prefers well-drained soils and, once established, is drought-tolerant. Ideal for borders, rock gardens, and waterside plantings, it grows to around 50 cm in height with a similar spread, making it a versatile and resilient choice for a wide range of garden settings.

dunes

coastal forest

coastal scrub

tussock grasslands

dune forest

moist

well drained

free draining

dry

full sun

partial shade

height | 60cm

width | 60cm

flowering | September–December

fruiting |  November–May (but may be present throughout the year)

Carex testacea is highly variable and is often regarded as a species complex. Inland forest forms tend to be more robust, with longer, darker brown spikes compared to the typically finer coastal forms.