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red karaihe

foliage palette

Carex buchananii | red karaihe, cutty grass

 

A distinctive sedge, valued for its upright, tufted form and rich copper-bronze foliage. The fine, narrow leaves are rolled and often curl elegantly at the tips, sometimes bleaching to pale white in strong sun. This perennial adds striking colour, texture, and movement to the garden year-round. Hardy and easy to care for, it tolerates wind, light frost, and coastal conditions. Best grown in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained soils, it is well-suited to borders, mass planting, architectural plantings, and moist areas such as pond margins.

 

  • typical habitat.

    dunes

    lagoon

    streamsides

    lake margin

    tussock grasslands

  • drainage.

    moist

    well drained

    free draining

    dry

  • sun.

    full sun

    partial shade

  • mature specifications.

    height | 1.6m

    width | 40cm

  • pollinators calendar.

    flowering |  October–December

    fruiting | November–June

  • did you know?

    Highly tolerant of wind, frost, and drought, Carex buchananii can naturalise and occasionally spread beyond its intended bounds. Along with C. comans, it remains one of the most widely cultivated native sedges in Aotearoa.

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