Propagating Carex elata 'Aurea' (Bowles's Golden Sedge)

How to propagate the tussock-forming Bowles's Golden sedge by clump division. A marginal bog and waterside plant, not a submerged aquarium plant.

Overview

Carex elata 'Aurea', Bowles's Golden sedge, is a tussock-forming evergreen perennial reaching about 1.2 m tall by 1.5 m wide. Its bright gold blades with fine green margins make it a striking accent for pond margins. The cultivar holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Propagation Method

Because the sedge grows as a dense tussock, it is propagated vegetatively by clump (rhizome) division: an established clump is lifted and split into smaller rooted sections, each of which grows on into a new plant. This keeps the golden colour true to the parent, which seed-raised plants may not.

Step-by-Step

Lift an established, vigorous tussock from its boggy or waterside position.
Shake or wash off enough soil to see the crowded crowns and roots.
Pull or cut the clump into sections, each with several leaf bases and a good share of roots.
Trim away any dead or rotten material from the centre of an old clump.
Replant divisions immediately into wet, nutrient-rich ground at the same depth and keep them constantly moist.

Conditions for Healthy Growth

Bowles's Golden sedge thrives in nutrient-rich wetland conditions such as marshes, fens, wet woods and shallow water margins. Give it consistently moist to boggy soil and bright light to keep the foliage a strong gold rather than fading toward green.

Maintenance

Comb or cut out dead blades to keep the tussock tidy and golden. As clumps age the centre can become congested or bare, so lift and divide them every few years to rejuvenate growth and produce new plants at the same time. It flowers from May to June with seed ripening July to August.

Common Challenges

Foliage fading toward green in shade rather than holding its gold colour.
Decline if the soil dries out, since it needs constantly wet, nutrient-rich ground.
Bare, woody clump centres on old plants that have not been divided.
Loss of plants if grown fully submerged, which this marginal sedge will not tolerate.