|
Carex phyllocephala 'Sparkler' (Sparkler Palm Sedge) - This grass-like plant forms a slow spreading dense clump with many 1-2 foot tall narrow red-purple stems each topped with a cluster of spirally arranged leaves. The dark green narrow leaves have broad cream colored margins and sometimes are striped within the green. The flowers, in 8-10 narrow 3-4 inch long candle-like clusters emerge from the crown in fall and are at first a creamy green then age to brown.
Plant in partial sun to fairy deep shade, will tolerate full sun if given ample water but may burn on hot days.. Irrigate regularly for plants to look best although it will tolerate dry shade as well. Plants noted at the Huntington Botanic Garden were in dry shade under Live Oaks. Cold hardy to 10° F and useful in USDA Zones 7 and above. The look of this very showy plant is sometimes described as a "plume of feathers", or as the common name implies, like the crown of a miniature palm tree. Very useful in the garden to lighten up a dark spot or as a container plant. Great in cut flower arrangements.
The species Carex phyllocephala is native to the southeastern Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Fujian and was introduced into Japan. The name for the genus is a Latin word describing the sedges and the specific epithet combines the Greek words 'phyllon' meaning "leaf" and 'kephale' meaning "head" to mean "leaf-head", which apply describes a plant with leaves tightly clustered at the top of a stem such as this plant has.
Horticulturist and Asiatica nursery owner Barry Yinger discovered this cultivar growing at a nursery in Japan in the 1970s while on a plant collecting trip for Wheaton Botanical Garden in Washington D.C. It had apparently been growing at the nursery for many years and Yinger returned to the US with it and gave it the name 'Sparkler'. We first received this plant from plantsman Dennis Shaw in 1992 grew and grew and sold it from 2003 until 2010.
The information displayed on this page about Carex phyllocephala 'Sparkler' is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
|
