Pendulous Sedge (Carex pendula) - Architectural Native Sedge for Damp/Shady Edges & Bog Gardens (Peat-Free, Pesticide-Free)

A bold UK-native for damp shade, Carex pendula makes a dramatic arching fountain of broad, dark green leaves with long, pendulous flower/seed spikes from late spring. It’s superb for cooling and softening pond collars, rills and boggy margins (it is not a submerged plant), giving instant structure, cover and perches without blocking wildlife routes at ground level. Fully grown clumps reach 1-1.5 m in height and breadth in rich, moist soil; in smaller spaces it’s easily kept in check by deadheading and dividing. Use as a shady backdrop to lower natives, or to cloak hard edges where water keeps soil reliably moist.

Where it thrives

• Light: Partial to full shade (tolerates some sun if soil stays moist)

• Moisture/Zone: Pond collar / bog; consistently moist to wet soil, crown above water level (do not submerge)

• Setting: Woodland-edge pond rims, north/east sides, alongside ferns and low sedges; excellent for screening bins/fences near ponds

Planting & care

• Plant in peat-free bog/pond-edge compost or moisture-retentive soil; mulch to hold moisture

• Cut back tatty leaves in late winter/early spring; comb out dead foliage to refresh the fountain form

• Deadhead seed spikes if you want to limit self-seeding (it can seed freely in ideal sites)

• Divide every 3-4 years to manage size and rejuvenate clumps

• Not ideal for tiny ponds or barrels due to eventual scale

Safety (important & honest):
Ornamental use only - do not ingest. Wear gloves when trimming tough leaves. Keep plant material and soil out of natural watercourses; never release garden plants into the wild.

Truth-first wildlife note:
This sedge is wind-pollinated (not a nectar plant), but it delivers top-tier habitat: dense cover for amphibians at the rim, perches/emergence support for insects, and cool shade over warm shallows. Pair with single-flowered natives (e.g., Water Mint, Myosotis, Loosestrife) to supply nectar nearby.

Joel says…
“Pendulous Sedge is your woodland-rim anchor - big, handsome, and brilliant for cover. Keep it moist, deadhead to stop wanderlust, and split the clump when it gets chunky.”

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are ordering perennials between the months of October and March, including aquatic plants, please be aware that this is the dormant phase for perennials, so your plants may arrive showing potentially little or no top growth at this stage, or can in some cases still have some old leaves from last year showing also. Please don't worry, as this is all quite normal. Once the weather warms up in spring, you will start to see fresh growth and activity! If you ever have any concerns at all, please just message the team on enquiries@wildyourgarden.com and we'll always do our best to help.