Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’)

Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) is an aquatic plant that can grow 50cm – 1.5m tall and 10cm – 50cm wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’).

This plant is commonly known as Bowles’ golden sedge.

This is a evergreen plant that takes 2-5 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: Bowles’ golden sedge
Scientific name: Carex elata ‘Aurea’
Plant type: Aquatic, Bogs, Grasses
Habit: Tufted
Height: 50cm – 1.5m
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Clay, Loam
Moisture: Poorly drained
Garden type: City & Courtyard Gardens, Informal Garden, Patio & Container Garden
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding, Low Maintenance
Other characteristics: RHS Award of Garden Merit

Seasonal colors

How to plant Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) – bluebrightly, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Whether small or large, formal or informal, every garden has space for an aquatic element. The sound and reflective qualities of water have long been used to add interest to gardens.

A pond, fountain or even a smaller water container greatly increases the variety of plants you can grow. In addition, they also encourage a wide variety of wildlife, including insects, frogs, toads and birds.

Together with plants, these elements offer a diversity of interests.

How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) is a plant that prefers to grow in clay or loam.

• Clay soil is composed of more than 25 percent clay particles. These particles have a high moisture holding capacity and the soil is heavy to dig and can be waterlogged in winter (dry in summer).

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Carex elata ‘Aurea’ likes to grow in humid or poorly drained soil.

Sunlight

Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) is a plant that should be grown in full sun or partial shade positions.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) – Leonora (Ellie) Enking, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons