AC_PM_V109_Carex_comans_01

Name: Carex comans

Number of Assets: 9

Quality: high-quality

System Requirements: Optimized for Enscape 4.x+

Carex comans, commonly called New Zealand hair sedge, is an evergreen perennial sedge that typically grows in a dense weeping clump of thin (1/16” wide), hair-like leaves to 12-24” tall. It is native to New Zealand where it typically grows as a common pasture weed. Slender, rough-margined, pale green to bronze leaves (to 1.5’ long) with purplish-brown lower sheaths grow in a dense tussock that some say resembles a hairy mop. Flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, but are not ornamentally significant (male flowers in terminal spikelets and female flowers in lateral spikelets). Many New Zealand sedges exhibit leaf color variations ranging from green to bronze. Although natural variations in leaf color and plant habit frequently occur with this species, all forms of the species are attractive regardless of variation.

Over 1500 species of Carex grow in a variety of habitats (often moist to wet areas) throughout the world. Identification of individual species can be very difficult.

Genus name from Latin means cutter in reference to the sharp leaves and stem edges (rushes are round but sedges have edges) found on most species’ plants.

Specific epithet from Latin means resembling a head of hair.