its about time... you crossed one problem child off your list ... there are a bunch of others that should follow.. lol ...

there are hundreds of things i wanted to grow in my garden.. and they simply werent worth the blood sweat and tears to be involved with them ...

ken

Is it variegated Carex such as Ice Dance? I have one in of the sort, and honestly I love it. It does get somewhat ratty in winter, but I’m usually happy with evergreen presence, even if it’s not at its loveliest. Early spring before the new blades shoot up, I trim it back to a neat little mound. In my garden only the ends of the blades are browned and ratty, so if I chop it back half way or so it looks neat and nice until the new growth explodes.

Or, as Ken said, if the return isn’t worth the investment to you, just yank it :)

I find 'Ice Dance' in particular can look pretty ratty after winter, even in my climate. Combine that with a tendency to just keeping consuming real estate endlessly and I no longer use it.

But cultivars like C. morrowii 'Aureovariegata', 'Evergold', 'Silk Tassel' and Carex species like testacea, flagellifera or comans look virtually the same year round and do respond well to the gloved "raking".

Is it variegated Carex such as Ice Dance? I have one in of the sort, and honestly I love it.

I agree Dillybeansown.

I would not be w/o Ice Dance in my garden. It looks immaculate until the rabbits and winter weather do a number on it in....but that is late in the year ie into December for sure. I agree it takes a bit for it to pull itself all together come the spring but once all the new growth comes in it looks perfect (IMO). It needs no water and does well in any light condition.

I have "Ice Dance" and like it. It looks *horrible* this time of year when the seed stalks rise up but once that settles down and the new foliage takes over, it looks great the rest of the year. I cut mine back to the ground in spring - i.e. treat the same as ornamental grasses. I can't say as though I'd miss it terribly if I didn't have it -- liriope is a perfectly fine substitute for short grassy effect.

I find it strange that with all the many beautiful native Carex species, you all choose to grow a Japanese one. And people wonder where all the insects have gone! Wake up!

Jay, please give me a recommendation and source as i couldn’t agree more. i think we’re all overflowing with this because it spreads so easily that well meaning people pass it along rather than hurl into the compost. But your argument stiffens my spine.

Kitasei, I don't know where your at but there's like 590 Carex species in North America. All different types. I usually check out the species being offered, but there's also so many that aren't offered. I winter sowed more Carex species, blanda, rosea, spengellia. It's easy to collect seeds and trade for other species. I don't know if there are any variegated native Carex, but they are interesting enough to hold their own without it.

https://journalstar.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/in-the-garden-sedges-expand-plant-palette/article_dd378d94-c901-516e-adf2-716974977df1.amp.html

Jay, good info. Thanks.

I thought of this thread as I spied our Carex Ice Dance today. Earlier this spring there was a significant ant hill in the middle of this clump. There is no rhyme or reason for its placement here but for the meantime the foliage is perfect and it needs "no" water. An excellent grass/sedge in my experience.

I usually cut back my Ice Dance at the end of winter, but decided to see what happened this year if I didn't. Definitely not a good look! I'm thinking of digging out what I have in the front yard to decrease my annual maintenance. The other thing I need to do is cut the seed heads off. I find I get tons of solid green seedlings near by.